Traveling for food is a new passion point with global travelers on the move. In a hats off gesture to the kings and queens of cuisine around the world, who inspire us to eat with adventure no matter where we are, TravelSquire brings you CHEF TALK, sponsored by Le Cordon Bleu. www.cordonbleu.edu
Meet HANNALEE PERVAN, Le Cordon Bleu graduate and proprietor of One House Bakery:
Being a baker and owning my own bakery has been my dream since I was 10 years old. Knowing I needed to get an education in business, I earned a Division I basketball scholarship to Quinnipiac University. There I studied Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. After University, I attended Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa, Canada, and graduated with a Patisserie Diploma.
While there, I trained to compete in the Skills Canada Pastry competition, and first won the gold medal for my province of Ontario, then won the national gold medal for all of Canada. I spent the next 10 years working in the baking industry, from Porto’s in Los Angeles to Bouchon Bakery in Yountville, California. At Bouchon Bakery I was a part of the team that made the bread for The French Laundry and Thomas Keller’s other Yountville restaurants.
What is your favorite thing that you learned to make at LCB?
My favorite thing that I learned how to make was one of the more basic staples in pastry, Italian meringue. I just loved watching how the whites changed from beginning to end — how glossy and silky they turned with just the addition of water, sugar and some whisking. Chef Herve taught us to dip our fingers in a bowl of ice water, then reach into the pot of boiling sugar to see if it was at the softball stage yet. I felt a real connection to the foundation of how pastries must have been made before technology came along with electronic thermometers and mixers.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj3fYGLlUrZ/?taken-by=onehousebakery
Did you have a memorable culinary experience in Ottawa that you can share?
The most memorable culinary experiences I had in Ottawa took place at Wilbrod House which was about a two-minute walk from Le Cordon Bleu. I was renting a room there while attending classes along with many other culinary students from around the world. Many nights after all our classes were done and the kitchen table was filled with cakes or pastries we’d learned to make that day, people would start to make dinner. Everyone was so generous with the cooking knowledge they had acquired in their own countries. I learned how to shape dumplings and de-bone quail and make a pan sauce for pasta that I still make on a weekly basis. It was a place where we all shared a love of food and a love of learning.
Where in the San Francisco Bay Area can someone find a pastry or dessert similar to what was taught at Le Cordon Bleu?
If someone is looking for excellent pastries in San Francisco, I would definitely recommend Craftsman and Wolves. I took a class over 10 years ago from the head chef William Werner and was fascinated by the techniques and flavors he combined. Now I am lucky enough to be living in the Bay area where he first opened his bakery. I have traveled to many countries and eaten a lot of desserts, and the Coffee, Coconut and Yuzu Tart at Craftsman and Wolves is absolutely incredible. They use the techniques and staples we were taught at Le Cordon Bleu, but they use them in new and interesting ways that really make me want to keep pushing myself to learn and be creative.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Be_r_GXlSNp/?taken-by=onehousebakery
What country or city would you choose right now for a great culinary experience?
I would pick Lyon, France. My husband and I were traveling through Europe almost eight years ago and stopped there for just a couple of days. We were on a pretty tight budget and didn’t speak French very well, so we’d walk up and down the aisles of the farmers’ market along the canal and just point to different items and hold out some money. Then they would give us as much as we could afford. Every stall was manned by someone who was truly passionate and cared about what they were producing. I have never tasted such wonderful salami, pastries, bread and cheese. On our last night, we went into a small bistro and I ordered gratin dauphinois. It was made with earthy potatoes layered with butter, thick cream and sharp cheese. It was truly one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.
What is your favorite international food?
My favorite international food would definitely be Italian. I think I could eat spaghetti with a simple tomato cream sauce and burrata cheese every day for the rest of my life!
One House Bakery
918 First Street
Benicia, CA, 94510
www.onehousebakery.com
@onehousebakery (Instagram)