George McNeill

Ritz-Carlton Returns to Classic Desserts

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

In this age where chefs can create magic with desserts (such as the stunning chocolate sculpture below), a company which serves as home to some of the world's finest chefs and confectioners, the Ritz-Carlton is going back to basics.

The new Ritz-Carlton Redefined Classic Dessert menus will feature the kinds of desserts we all crave, including:

Bread & Butter Pudding
Carrot Cake
Creme Brulee
Double Fudge Chocolate Cake
Fresh Fruit Tart
Ice Cream Sundae
Key Lime Pie
Molten Chocolate Cake
New York Cheesecake
Plum Tart
Strawberry Shortcake (above)
Tarte Tatin
Tiramisu

"It's about comfort food," said George McNeill, Vice President, Culinary and Corporate Chef, with whom we caught up at a launch event in the Ritz-Carlton Suite of the NYC Central Park South hotel. The company's return to classics answers society's yearning for simpler times. The truth is, dessert has gotten a little complicated. "We just want to make the best cheesecake," said McNeill. He added that 50 percent of the dessert menus will still be up to chefs' discretion. "They're artists. We don't want to stifle them."

Chocolate Sculpture by Sebastien Thieffine

Chocolate Sculpture by Sebastien Thieffine

They are indeed artists, as exemplified by this chocolate sculpture which was handmade by Sebastien Thieffine, Executive Pastry Chef from the Naples, Florida Ritz-Carlton. We spoke briefly with Thieffine, who has a charming French accent, about the piece.

Luxist: How on Earth did you create this?

Sebastien Thieffine: Well, we wanted a "chef display," so I incorporated copper pans, cocoa beans ...

L: But those copper pans are chocolate, right?

ST: They are chocolate, and I applied a copper powder on them.

L: Are they still edible?

ST: They are. Would you like to try it?

L: Yes.

Thieffine then handed us a wooden spoon which appeared to be dipped in chocolate. We shyly tasted the chocolate, and he said "No, you have to crack it." We bit down and found the spoon was not wooden at all, but entirely comprised of delicious, bitter chocolate. A pleasant surprise!

ST: You just ate a spatula.

L: That's delicious! How did you come up with this design?

ST: I always try to have three sections, so I have the base, the center, and the top -- very light. You don't want to have heaviness everywhere. I incorporated cocoa pans, an old jam maker, the flowers. You can look at it from both sides.

L: Did you study sculpture or art history?

ST: No.

L: So, this is just something you can do?

ST: There have been a lot of tries. A lot of breaking.

The Ritz-Carlton Redefined Classic Desserts arrived at domestic properties on January 22, 2010, along with a selection of warm winter and cool champagne cocktails. In addition to savoring the delicious fare, guests will also now have the option to take home a book of the recipes for all of the above dessert dishes; the same recipes as those used in the Ritz-Carlton kitchens, merely fleshed out to make cooking easier for chefs of all levels. Have a look at exclusive photos of some of our favorites below:

Gallery: Ritz-Carlton Redefined Classic Desserts