Elizabeth Belkind
GRACE | Los Angeles

Biography
Pastry chef Elizabeth Belkind whips up sweet endings that complement Neal Fraser’s celebrated New American cuisine with an inventive, whimsical style. Born in Mexico City to parents of Russian heritage, Belkind spent her earliest years in Mexico before moving to Miami as a young girl. She studied dance at a performing arts high school and then Russian language and literature in New York at Bard College.

The proximity of Bard College to the renowned Culinary Institute of America was a big influence on Belkind. After receiving her Master’s Degree in Russian Studies from the University of Michigan, Belkind relocated to Chicago, where she accepted a position as an indemnification worker acting as a liaison between Russian Jewish Holocaust survivors and the German government, which was ordered to disburse reparations.

The idea of Southern California’s persistent sunshine eventually drew Belkind to Los Angeles in 1998, where she decided to pursue her dream of wearing chef’s whites. While at the California School of Culinary Arts, she worked her way through school by bartending at Houston’s Restaurant. A natural talent in the kitchen, Belkind was soon invited to complete her externship under Mark Peel at Campanile.

Belkind sharpened her skills working the pantry during weekend brunches and Wednesday-night tastings at Campanile. After graduating, Belkind stayed on as a cook in the savory station. She worked side by side with Roxanna Julepat (now pastry chef of Lucques and AOC) and realized that she was completely inspired by the beautiful, clean presentation of Roxanna’s sweet creations. When a position opened in the pastry kitchen, Belkind jumped at the chance to train in Nancy Silverton’s kitchen under Roxanna, Kim Boyce (former pastry chef of Campanile) and Dahlia Nervaez (current pastry chef of Campanile).

In anticipation of Grace’s 2003 opening, Neal Fraser met with Belkind and instantly knew he had found an ideal complement to his unique style. Abandoning fussy presentations, Belkind’s pastry creations and presentations are simple and elegant. With her wildly popular Jelly Doughnuts and elegant “Morning After Pastries,” Belkind has been praised as one of the hottest young pastry chefs in Los Angeles by publications ranging from the Los Angeles Times to Gourmet.

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Interview Cont'd
AB: What pastry or kitchen tools can’t you live without?
EB: I can’t live without Silpats. When you want a smooth finish they come in super-handy. Also, my fryer. I do so many doughnuts.

AB: What are your favorite ingredients?
EB: I like using vanilla beans because they round out the flavors and pull everything together. I like brown butter as a stock and it’s a really good base. Chestnut honey has such a distinct flavor and combined with other spices it has such an unusual aroma. And chocolate.

AB: What are your top 3 tips for dessert success?
EB: Always make desserts to order, use seasonal products, and avoid being contrived.

AB: Who are your mentors/pastry heroes?
EB: Nancy Silverton (at Campanile) absolutely embraced me. She is an endless resource of knowledge and technique. She was great at teaching me and explaining why it was better than any school. The restaurant is referred to by many of Silverton’s protégée’s as “the camp.” Claudia Fleming goes out on a limb with the flavors and pairings she uses. Recchiuti, a chocolatier, creates very unusual flavors and designs for chocolate. His book is most informative.

AB: What are your favorite desserts?
EB: Doughnuts, cupcakes and things with really light flavors.

AB: What trends do you see emerging in pastry arts?
EB: Minimalism, impressionism, and an avant-garde use of equipment. I played with the Pacojet, but I didn’t like it.

AB:Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
EB: I want to open my own shop with a fryer out in front and make doughnuts to order. In terms of the bigger picture, I’m in the process of opening a place with Roxanna Julepat from AOC and Dan Mattern (AOC chef de cuisine) in Silverlake. The three of us are planning a restaurant together. The pastries would be baked to order, which is the front and center of the concept.

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