Pastry chefs create art that is a pleasure to destroy
Some of Greenville’s most prolific and talented designers and artists—turning out dozens of pieces daily—also watch their creations be destroyed and ultimately disappear every night. And that’s by design.
They’re pastry chefs and sugar artists from four restaurants that are often better known for their longevity, commitment to local farms, and signature hospitality, but the desserts on the menu could easily steal the spotlight. Whimsically shaped cakes, brûléed marshmallow, chocolate domes, candied fruits, and perfectly peaked meringue make for irresistible endings to any meal, or, in some cases, the primary reason for dining out altogether.
“I would personally like to change the narrative of dessert,” says Katie Shegda, pastry chef at Coral. “For so long it’s been ‘if we have room’ or ‘if we are celebrating.’ People don’t understand yet that dessert is as big a part of the meal as the meal. It’s part of completing the experience.”
Photos of her desserts have caught many an eye on social media—a medium where the eyes eat first. How it looks matters as much as how it tastes, and that’s part of the strategy. “I draw my inspiration from a color,” she says, offering an example from a recent experiment. “What desserts have ingredients that are naturally black?”
She thrives in an environment where she can dabble in the weird and unexpected. “I want people to be excited,” she says. “I want people to have fun and maybe try a flavor they haven’t tried before.”
Tarciani Harger, pastry chef for Soby’s New South Cuisine, finds inspiration for her intricate delicacies in her Brazilian and German background and her international experience. “My artistic point of view is centered around the belief that food is not just nourishment but also an expression of love, joy, and memories,” she says. “I find inspiration in various sources, including fashion, different cuisines, global food trends, colors, and more. I believe that incorporating these elements into my desserts creates a complete sensory experience.”
Harger’s time with Michelin-starred chefs and the famous French patisserie Ladurée is evident in her delicate works of art that are nearly too beautiful to risk ruining by tasting them.
“Translating non-edible inspiration into edible art requires research, experimentation, and creativity,” she explains. “By studying different cultures’ culinary traditions, exploring new techniques, and incorporating unique flavors and textures, I can create innovative and visually appealing desserts that reflect my inspirations.”
For Tania Cienfuegos, a chef who knows her way around the savory stations but has chosen to land in the pastry position more times than not, her contribution to Topsoil’s menu is in keeping with the weekly rotating menu. “I don’t like to be repetitive and make the same exact dessert twice,” she says. “Life is too short.”
She draws inspiration from music, nature, ingredients, experiences, and the people around her. And watching guests dig into her carefully plated and balanced desserts is part of the fun.
“For me, it’s more than okay to know that each dessert I create is temporary,” she says. “It makes me excited about what’s coming next.”
At CAMP, the final course has been the priority since the restaurant opened in 2021, always offering a surprise at the end of the meal. Responsible for that lasting impression is Lindsay Beck, Table 301’s executive pastry chef, who says the care her grandmother took when baking provides the foundation for her inspiration.
“For me, the best and my favorite compliment that I can receive is when people tell me when they are eating something that it reminds them of a specific memory in the past or their childhood,” she says. “I love playing around with foods and flavors that are nostalgic for people.”
And while the recipe and ingredients matter, she recognizes that how the final dessert comes together on the plate or in a cut-glass dish matters just as much.
“I enjoy spending time in nature and experiencing all the different colors and textures there are by simply walking through a forest,” Beck says. “I try to incorporate as many different textures, colors, and temperatures into my plated desserts as possible because it is important to the overall experience of eating a composed dessert. You eat with your eyes first, so that’s just as important as the flavor.”
Grand Finale
Recent favorites (menus are subject to change)
Coral: Salted Honey Cheesecake with salted honey creameux, honeycomb, honey pearls, graham cracker cookie
Soby’s New South Cuisine: Pavlova with apple pie filling, house-made vanilla bean ice cream, Granny Smith coulis
Topsoil: Tahini Crunch Cake with passion fruit curd, sesame brittle
CAMP: Meyer Lemon Pudding Cake with cassis pached pears and pine nut nougatine
