TOP PASTRY CHEFS 2008
Adrian Vasquez

The bold dessert stylings of Adrian Vasquez are rooted in soul searching. At just 15, Vasquez toured Europe with a guitar and high hopes of becoming a musician. He tested his creative mind against architectural school, before realizing his great interest in food. After a memorable meal at Socca in San Francisco, Vasquez convinced chef John Caputo to give him a shot as an apprentice. He spiked his new passion, bicycling—and working—through Europe, notably as a stage at Pied à Terre in London. Vasquez returned to his hometown of San Francisco, moving between top restaurants Aqua and Hawthorne Lane, then east, before his circular journey took him back to collaborate with Caputo at Bin 36 in Chicago. In 2006, Vasquez took his high-wire pastry act to Providence in Los Angeles. It's not unusual to see Vasquez play with spherical shapes, spices and savory produce. In his hands, ingredients can twist and transform, taking on an entirely new meaning. He suspends a Cuban mojito in a snow globe of gelée, the liquid libation interpreted like never before.