The Emmy award-winning Chicago Restaurant Pastry Competition released the third episode of Season Two: National Chefs. The episode, named “Signature Dessert,” follows the four pastry chef finalists into the kitchen as they prepare their signature, plated desserts for the judges.

Chef Melissa Coppel of Jean-Marie Auboine Chocolatier in Las Vegas; Chef Chris Ford of Wit & Wisdom in Baltimore; Chef Thomas Raquel of Acadia Restaurant in Chicago; and Chef Philip Speer of Uchi Restaurant in Austin create delicious and creative plated desserts using top-quality commercial kitchen equipment such as:

- Waring Commercial is a leading manufacturer of professional quality appliances for the home and foodservice industries.
- Thermohauser provides professional tools for the baker, chef and caterer including pastry bags and accessories, scrapers, spatulas and knives, and tools and utensils.
- Frigomat supports ice cream makers from around the world with many types of professional equipment to create professional standard, delicious gelato.
- Steelite is a world-leading manufacturer and supplier of award-winning, inspirational tabletop ranges for the international hospitality industry.

“This year is a high-caliber, close competition with no clear frontrunner,” said Executive Pastry Chef Jimmy MacMillan, founder of the Chicago Restaurant Pastry Competition. “The chefs created innovative plated dishes such as Lemongrass Cake and Toasted Wild Rice Sorbet.”

In this single day event, the chefs made and presented eight servings of an original, creative, plated dessert as well as a gelato creation to judges Della Gossett from The French Pastry School, Dana Cree of Blackbird restaurant and Curtis Duffy of Grace restaurant. In this episode, the judges taste each dessert and discuss the chef’s pastry concepts.