Du Jour with Chris Nicosia, veteran pastry chef

Chefs tend to be lumped into one category, but there are vast differences between those drawn to traditional fare and those to the pastry arts, says Chef Chris Nicosia, an instructor at the Louisiana Culinary Institute and a veteran pastry chef. Nicosia says LCI’s chefs-in-training tend to approach her class with either enthusiasm or flat out fear. “Pastry is a totally different rhythm. It’s all about planning. It’s not ‘a la minute,'” a reference to the rapid-fire pace in creating savory dishes.  Instead, pastry is detailed and deliberative, requiring exact measurement, a careful hand and lots of oven time. Read more about Nicosia here. To read previous Du Jour features on local chefs and other culinary experts, click here.