 |
|
|
|
|
At the young age of six, Gale Gand--the pastry chef/owner of Chicago's Tru--caught the eye of a Life magazine photographer while she was making mud pies. Thirty-some years later, the ingredients may have changed, but she is still catching the eyes and tastes of all those who witness her latest creations.
Gale's desserts have consistently received stellar reviews. Pat Bruno, the restaurant critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, has declared Gale, "one of the best pastry chefs in the United States" and Phil Vettel, the restaurant critic for the Chicago Tribune, has called her desserts "sensational, sinful and oh-so satisfying." Even Esquire's John Mariani proclaimed effusively, "...every dessert I tried was poetic. They should be: They are made by the city's best pastry chef, Gale Gand."
In 1994, Gale received the Robert Mondavi Award for Culinary Excellence. That same year, she and partner Rick Tramonto were named among the Top Ten Best New Chefs by Food & Wine. Gale and Tramonto were nominated for the 1998 James Beard Awards for Best Chefs in the MidWest and also nominated for the 2000 James Beard Awards with Tru for the Best New Restaurant Award. Further nominations for the 2000 James Beard Awards include Gale for Outstanding Pastry Chef Award and Gale and Tramonto's cookbook Butter Sugar Flour Eggs for the Best Cookbook Award in the Baking and Desserts category. She won the Dolce Outstanding Pastry Chef Award at the 2001 James Beard Awards.
A native of Chicago's North Shore, Gale has always been an artist and spent her college years studying silver and goldsmithing. When she took a year off and went to work in a restaurant, she discovered that the skills she had learned in art translated well to cuisine. She started her own catering company and also worked three years at the Strathallen Hotel in Rochester, NY. There she met chef and mentor Greg Broman and future partner Tramonto.
During that time, Gale traveled to Europe for pastry classes at La Varenne in Paris and to experience the foods of France. In 1985, Gand and Tramonto moved to New York City. At Gotham Bar & Grill, her desserts were awarded three stars by The New York Times critic Bryan Miller.
After moving back to Chicago, Gale and Tramonto were asked to transform the kitchen and cuisine at Stapleford Park, a five-star hotel outside of London, and they accepted.
Overcoming skepticism from critics and the public, Stapleford Park received acclaim from some of London's toughest reviewers, including the red "M" in the 1991 Michelin guide--the first received by an American in five years.
Gale and Tramonto returned to Chicago, where Gale worked at four-star Charlie Trotter's. The two then teamed up with Henry Adaniya to open Trio. After two years, Gale and Tramonto opened Brasserie T in Northfield, Illinois, a brasserie serving robust French/American food.
Since Tru's opening in May 1999, Gale has again brought her fresh ideas and innovative presentations to four-star dining. And as host of Food Network's Sweet Dreams, she continues to showcase her dizzying array of delicious desserts.
|
 |
|
|
