World-renowned pastry chef En-Ming Hsu's accomplishments are as numerous as they are impressive. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, En-Ming's career began in the kitchens of the famed Lespinasse restaurant in New York City's exclusive St. Regis Hotel and Patisserie Café Didier in Washington DC. From 1994 to 2004, En-Ming worked at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago Hotel, for most of that time as Executive Pastry Chef. Since then, she has been sharing her knowledge as an independent pastry chef and consultant. She has taught at leading culinary institutions worldwide, including King Arthur Baking Education Center and The French Pastry School. As winner of prestigious competitions, En-Ming is often invited to serve as a jury member for national and international pastry competitions.
In 2001, En-Ming served as Team Captain of the first and only U.S. pastry team to take the gold medal at the Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie in Lyon, France. This bi-annual competition highlights the skills and gastronomic innovations of the world's finest pastry chefs. She has returned to the Coupe du Monde to serve as President of the International Jury, Jury President and Manager for Team USA, and guest commentator.
In 1997, En-Ming was named "Pastry Chef of the Year in America" for capturing the gold medal at the Eighth Annual U.S. Pastry Competition. Other awards include "Rising Star Chef of 1999" for the James Beard Foundation, one of the "Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America" by both Chocolatier and Pastry Art & Design magazines, "Best Pastry Chef in Chicago" by Chicago magazine, "Best Pastry Chef in Chicago" at Jean Banchet Chef's Gala, "Distinguished Visiting Pastry Chef" by Johnson and Wales University, and "Lifetime Achievement Award" by Paris Gourmet. She was also recognized by Académie Culinaire de France as Dame de l'Année 2009. She received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University. In 2010, En-Ming was presented with the Amoretti World Pastry Team Championship "Pastry Chef of the Year" award. In 2022, En-Ming was the recipient of the Woman of Distinction Award (Manufacturing category) by the Southern Nevada chapter of National Association of Women Business Owners.
In October 2021, En-Ming and her sister Yih-Ming formed Sip LLC to produce their luxurious Sip! Extraordinary Drinking Chocolate mix. Sip! is a rich, creamy beverage that may be served hot, chilled, or frozen. It is available online at sipextraordinary.com for retail and wholesale orders. Sip proudly partners with other small businesses to manufacture Sip!. En-Ming developed Sip! to be a multi-purpose product that can be transformed into irresistible treats including chocolate mousse, gelato-style frozen dessert, chocolate milkshake, and other delights. Sip's mission is to support nonprofit organizations that feed hungry children.
En-Ming's work has been featured in So Good, Modern Baking, Art Culinaire, Food Arts, Gourmet, Chef's Magazine, Pastry Art and Design, Pastry's Best, and Shelter magazines. Her recipes have also been published in A Neoclassic View of Plated Desserts, A Modernist View of Plated Desserts, Exceptional Excursions, The Pastry Chef's Apprentice, and Essentials of Nutrition for Chefs. Video classes are available on craftsy.com and her DVD Chocolate Pastries Made Simply at Home. En-Ming is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier, and L'Academie Culinaire. For more information, visit sipextraordinary.com.
In this episode we discuss:
- How a job at a catering company sparked interest in a culinary career
- Studying at CIA and graduating with a Baking and Pastry Art degree
- Working with legendary chef Gray Kunz at Lespinasse in NY and Dieter Schorner at Café Didier in Washington D.C.
- Landing a job with Sébastien Canonne at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago
- Working her way up to Executive Pastry Chef at the Ritz-Carlton
- Winning Gold with Team USA at the Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie in 2001
- Launching Sip! Extraordinary Drinking Chocolate with her sister
- And much more!
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.