Fresh From London, Four Seasons New Pastry Chef's Sweets are Inspired by Tweets
Newly arrived from London, Francesco Mannino, Four Seasons Beijing’s new Italian executive pastry chef tells us about his sudden conversion to the “sweet side,” and about the challenges of balancing traditional Western pastry techniques with Asian tastes.
What is your culinary background? Where have you worked prior to joining the Four Seasons?
Although everybody in my family is passionate about cooking, I don’t have a culinary background. I studied ancient Latin and Greek at school from an early age and followed up at university by studying law in Rome. In my early 20s I had, let’s say, a career change. I decided to pack my things and move to London. It was there that I stumbled into pastry. Since I had always been attracted to food culture, I decided to develop “my sweet side.” I did my training in a number of five-star kitchens and establishments in London and Paris, where I also worked for Pierre Hermé, the master of pastry, for two years. This experience changed my vision. Back in London, I was head pastry chef at The Connaught Hotel and Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park before joining Four Seasons here in Beijing.
What inspired you to become a pastry chef?
My inspiration came from a desire for creativity, and a love of food and colors. In terms of people, Nicholas Patterson, my mentor during my time at Claridge’s [in London], is the chef that I strongly feel inspired my career and helped me to achieve my goals.
How does being a pastry chef differ from being, say, a chef de partie?
The higher you go in the kitchen, whatever section you are in, the more responsibility you have. There are people to manage, budgets to meet, menus to create, and problems to solve. This is very challenging but also very exciting because I love what I am doing.
How do you find ideas and inspiration for new pastry and desserts?
Today social media has become more powerful and is in many ways the main source of my inspiration. Otherwise I buy books, magazines, try food, and attend cake exhibitions. It sounds expensive but it is an investment in my career. I also get a lot of inspiration from nature.
What is your favorite dessert to eat and why?
I love mille feuille. It has great textural contrast and is very difficult to execute well. The puff pastry needs to be cooked to the right degree and caramelized well to create an insulating layer against the moisture of the cream. The filling needs to be firm and light, and it needs to be made fresh every day. In other words: tricky to master.
Which of your pastry and dessert creations are you most proud of?
All of them. When I produce something it is because I believe it is good and I put all my knowledge into it.
How do you balance catering for the different tastes of Chinese and Western guests?
Asian palates tend to prefer refreshing, less sweet desserts with more fruit content, while Westerners prefer richer desserts that have a crispy or crunchy texture. However, now I feel that people are more curious, adventurous, and willing to try new things. I try to fuse the two concepts and integrate some Asian flavors into my Western style.
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Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Beijing
