Chef Will Goldfarb
Will Goldfarb is widely regarded as “the golden boy” of pastry.
A long and storied career of valet parking, bussing tables, and bartending, was rudely interrupted by a pile of parsley at Nana’s Restaurant in Durham, North Carolina.
Mr. Goldfarb graduated from Duke University with a history degree in 1997, and planned to study intellectual property law at the University of Southern California. Instead, he changed planes at the airport and headed to Paris, to pursue pastry at Le Cordon Bleu.
Securing a paid job working the hot line at Yvan, a Paris bistro, Mr. Goldfarb continued his studies under MOF Laurent Duchene. A placement at Gerard Mulot’s venerable Paris pastry shop was an incredible inspiration. The generosity and civility with which Monsieur Mulot conducted himself will always serve as a motivation.
Mr. Goldfarb moved to the south of france, en route to Florence, by working as a private chef for a group of wealthy expatriates. Dragged away from the beach house in Ramatuelle, Mr. Goldfarb continued his culinary education at Cibreo, the legendary Florence trattoria.
While avoiding the immigration authorities, Mr. Goldfarb placed a call to Ferran Adria. Apparently elated at the third Michelin star El Bulli had won that year, Chef Adria accepted Mr. Goldfarb for the following season, to work with his brother Albert, in the pastry department. 1999 was an unbelievable year of growth, development, and understanding. Mr. Goldfarb was invited back the following spring for a stint at the El Bulli Taller, and has twice since returned for a quick reminder of how much there is to learn about the pressure of creativity.
Whilst traveling, Mr. Goldfarb formed AKWA, global chef network, and began receiving his first media attention, as “the globetrotter cook.”
Work continued for several years (and is still continuing.) Mr. Goldfarb was able to visit Australia, cooking with and learning from Cheong Liew, Tetsuya Wakuda, and Tim Pak Poy. The hard earned money from a day job laboring as a construction worker paid the return flight home. Mr. Goldfarb accepted his first pastry chef position at The Ryland Inn under Craig Shelton.
After another stint away, this time the Carribbean, Mr. Goldfarb narrowly escaped the authorities, and returned to New York to help Paul Liebrandt open Papillon. The innovative work behind the interactive dinners was featured in full page stories by The New York Times, though lower Manhattan was enjoying a particularly difficult time. Mr. Goldfarb traveled to Maine, to work at The Castine Inn, for Chef Tom Gutow, getting back to the basics of pastry and cooking.
Returning to the bright lights for a two year spell at Morimoto, Mr. Goldfarb cemented his position as one of the leading young pastry chefs, and earned a call back to the big leagues, this time for the opening of Cru, with Shea Gallante. A “glowing” three star review followed, and Mr. Goldfarb wondered if he would ever be able to work in Manhattan again…again.
The answer was a resounding maybe. For years, Mr. Goldfarb had dreamed of having his own place, and to be judged on his own merits. Though the idea of an all desserts spot was tempting, was there really place in the market for it? Later that year, he began to undertake plans with the vision of his own dessert bar, which would become known as Room 4 Dessert. The innovative approach to dessert and wine was an instant hit.
What followed was a meteoric rise through the international media that propelled Mr. Goldfarb to superstar status. Mr. Goldfarb was featured in a six page spread in The New Yorker, by Heat author, Bill Buford, “The Prince of Pastry.” Accolades included a Pastry Art and Design 10 Best Pastry Chefs in America, and a James Beard nomination for Best Pastry Chef.
In fall 2007, Mr. Goldfarb openend Picnick, an innovative sandwich concept with a strong green and social welfare component. He operates Willpowder, a source for specialty pastry products for the restaurant and home. In April 2007, he helped found The Experimental Cuisine Collective, which pursues interdisciplinary learning. Mr. Goldfarb is developing a television show with his daughter Loulou. Mr. Goldfarb is currently working on his first cook book. He lives with his wife Maria in Jackson Heights, New York.