Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - If you like to eat dessert first, there's one woman coming to town that can make your wish come true.
Kaiser Maximilian Restaurant is preparing for the 21st International Festival Gourmet, which runs November 16 to 22, 2015. Participating restaurants host chefs from all over the world and, this year, there will be two guest chefs at Kaiser Maximilian. Chef Daniel Eardley, and Executive Pastry Chef Tara Glick, both from American Cut in New York City.
"My mother was a terrible baker," laughs Tara, "when I was in school and we had to bring homemade cupcakes, I was embarrassed because my mom's were awful. As soon as I could handle operating the oven and mixer I began baking like crazy." However, she did not start her professional pastry adventure until a little later in life.
"I was hitting my quarter life crises," says Tara, "my advertising career was just not fulfilling and I wanted to make a drastic change." Once the idea of culinary school became a thought she could not shake, Tara enrolled in the classic pastry arts program at The French Culinary Institute, which is one of the most highly respected culinary schools in the world.
Upon completion of the program, she took a series of positions at restaurants like Locanda Verde and Maialino in NYC and continued to hone her skills. Famous Food Network Chef, Marc Forgione, opened American Cut at the Revel Resorts in Atlantic City, and hired Tara as the Pastry Sous Chef.
Within six months, she was promoted to Executive Pastry Chef and was able to share her whimsical, modern desserts with the diners of this high-end steak house. When the flagship location of American Cut opened in Tribeca, New York, Tara extended her role as the pastry chef for both locations. She is now expanding her horizons even further by bringing her award-winning pastries south of the border.
She first heard about Festival Gourmet from other chefs who were hosted by Kaiser Maximilian, and was intrigued. "I have never visited Puerto Vallarta, I've only been on vacation in Cancun and Cozumel" says Tara. "I'm very excited because there will be chefs from all over the world in town and it will be great to see what others are doing and what they are creating."
Tara will be sharing her Apple Spice Cake with maple cream, a Sour Cream Cheese Cake with strawberries and pineapple and a Chocolate Panna Cotta with espresso biscotti and Kahlua cream. These items will be featured at Kaiser Maximilian during the XXI Gourmet Festival and beyond.
During Tara's tenure as Pastry Chef at American Cut, the restaurant was awarded "Best Desserts New Jersey," named one of the "Best Dessert Restaurants" in 2014 by NY Magazine, and selected as "Best Biscuits NYC" by NBC News.
New York City is home, she wants to remain there and someday open her own restaurant.
Don't forget to make your reservations for Wednesday, November 18, 2015, because it is the night of the Festival Gourmet Chef's Table at Kaiser Maximilian, where you'll enjoy a six-course dinner of New American Cuisine with wine pairings for $1400 pesos.Open Monday-Saturday from 8 am to 11 pm for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Kaiser Maximilian Restaurant & Cafe is located at Olas Altas #38B in the Zona Romántica of Puerto Vallarta. For reservations call (322) 223-0760 or visit KaiserMaximilian.com
Click HERE to read more about Kaiser Maximilian.