TOP PASTRY CHEFS 2008
Heather Chittum

Heather Chittum of Hook in Washington, D.C.

The dining room at Hook in Washington, D.C.

Heather Chittum
Hook
Washington, D.C.
Read the restaurant review

This D.C. pastry whiz is, fittingly, also a politico. Heather Chittum, a Massachusetts Clark University grad, worked for New York Senator Daniel Moynihan before moving into the non-profit sector where she took up the cause of ending childhood hunger at Share our Strength (SOS). Working with top chefs on good causes hooked Chittum. And in 2001, she traded politics for pastry, studying at L'Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Real-world experience came at Equinox, then Circle Bistro, DISH + drinks, Notti Bianche and finally, Michel Richard Citronelle. Now, Chittum heads the pastry department at sustainable fish restaurant Hook in Georgetown. Savory herbs and spices spike sorbets, and stand out with minimal fussing. Fruits and berries thrive under her thumb, lingonberries zing in her Linzertorte, while her apricot brown butter cake is bathed in chamomile. Heather's style is more earthy than experimental: Can ice cream be any creamier? Heather's Gorgonzola flavor tests the theory.