Ben Mims is a highly regarded James Beard Award-nominated cookbook author and food writer with a passion for crafting inventive, accessible recipes. Over his career, Mims has established himself as a dynamic presence in the culinary world, contributing to some of the most prestigious food publications and platforms. His expertise as a food columnist, editor, and recipe developer has been showcased in renowned outlets like the Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, Saveur, Lucky Peach, and BuzzFeed’s Tasty.

In addition to his editorial work, Mims has penned three celebrated cookbooks, where his signature style of blending comfort food with innovative techniques is on full display. His recipes are noted for their creativity, practical approach, and ability to bring a fresh perspective to classic dishes. His contributions to the food industry have earned him spots in the annual anthology Best Food Writing, further solidifying his role as a key figure in contemporary food media.

Known for his versatility and wide-ranging culinary knowledge, Mims has become a go-to expert for both home cooks and food enthusiasts alike, offering recipes and insights that make gourmet cooking approachable and fun. His continued influence in the culinary world reflects his deep commitment to making good food accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

In this recipe, we discuss:

• How Ben fell in love with cooking
• Paving the way with journalism and culinary school degrees
• How an internship with Saveur magazine led to a full-time test kitchen job
• Landing a coveted job as a food columnist for the L.A. Times
• How he got his first cookbook contract
• Tips on making yourself marketable as a freelance food writer
• The challenges of researching and writing his latest cookbook, Crumbs
• Some of the interesting tidbits about cookies that can be found in Crumbs
• Ben’s best kitchen tip on storing spices
• Ben’s advice on making videos for social media
• And much more!

Episode Sponsored by​

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Based in Los Angeles, California, Chef Mario Bacherini is the West Coast Pastry Chef of L’École Valrhona, where is he conducts classes, demonstrations and workshops for professionals, providing one-on-one culinary consultations and bringing Valrhona’s expert touch to the West Coast. After graduating from culinary school in Florence, Italy, Chef Bacherini went on to do his apprenticeship as a chocolatier. He began working in Michelin-starred restaurants across Italy and France until he decided to settle in Perpignan, France, where he trained under Olivier Bajard (Meilleur Ouvrier de France). In 2008 he moved to Paris, where he worked at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée with French Pastry World Champion Christophe Michalak. Four years later, Bacherini left Paris for New York City, where he took on the role of Executive Pastry Chef at Nobu, managing three restaurants. While in New York, he also traveled the world to teach pastry masterclasses in various countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Italy and France, as well as the United States. In 2017, he moved to Los Angeles where he began his own consulting company, providing consulting for bakeries, pastry shops and restaurants, and later on had the opportunity to work side by side with one of the best pastry chefs in the world, Amaury Guichon, in his newly opened school in Las Vegas. Chef Bacherini continued to deliver his expertise across the United States and abroad until he got the call from Valrhona to join their North America team at the beginning of 2023.

In this episode we discuss:

• A brief overview of Chef Bacherini’s background
• What his creative process involves when developing a new recipe
• The four techniques that every pastry chef should master
• His thoughts on current pastry trends
• Some of the modern chocolatiers he admires
• His go-to comfort food dessert to eat at home
• Upcoming classes at L’Ecole Valrhona
• Easy hand-tempering techniques
• The best way to use a dark milk chocolate in a dessert
• And much more!

Episode Sponsored by​

Puratos

Need ingredients ASAP? The MyPuratos webshop has your back 24/7 with what you need, when you need it. Order and reorder online instantly––no sales reps, no hassle. Plus, check out consumer insights and add recipe ingredients to your cart with a click. Even better? You’ll get 20% off your first order. 20% off! How sweet is that? Visit Puratos.us and click on MyPuratos to sign up and order today.

Francois Behuet is the Executive Pastry Chef of the Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles. Since 2022, Behuet has overseen pastry food & beverage outlets at both The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, which includes the signature Californian trattoria Savoca, Glance Lobby Bar, Illy Caffé, The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge, in-room dining and Sendero, including three signature dining experiences (Corteza, Leña and The Agave Library).

With extensive luxury hospitality experience and a deep understanding of the industry landscape, Behuet brings 20 years of pastry experience, most recently playing a pivotal role at Pendry West Hollywood with Chef Wolfgang Puck. There he worked alongside the team on creating the entire pastry program for the property’s three restaurants, developing a pastry boutique and overseeing the kitchen design. Behuet was a member of the USA Pastry Team that won the silver medal at the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie’s Americas Continental Selection in Santiago, Chile in 2022. The team went on to compete at the Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie in Lyon, France in 2023.

In this episode we discuss:

• Francois’s roots and how he became interested in pastry
• His apprenticeships in pastry and chocolate
• Honing his chocolate skills in Paris
• His holiday in NYC that led to a move to the U.S. and a job with Payard
• Moving to L.A. to work for Bottega Louie and then Pendry West Hollywood
• His current position at the Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
• His involvement with the U.S. Pastry Team
• Teaching bi-monthly Chocolate Master Classes
• His best kitchen tips and career advice
• And much more!

Episode Sponsored by
Republica Del Cacao

This podcast is sponsored by Republica Del Cacao. Say hello to this authentic Latin American Chocolate! They are a local brand with a global impact! The value of their products begins in the hands of their allied farmers, whose raw materials reach their team. Through processes of excellence, they transform them to create fine origin chocolate enjoyed by Chefs and Chocolate enthusiasts in more than 20 countries, as a community and a brand, they are changing the world, one cacao bean, at a time! Visit https://republicadelcacao.com to learn more.