Tell us about yourself.
Let’s see: I’ve been working at the New York Café for 10 years, for quite some time now in a managerial position. Even as a child I knew this was the path I would take. The reason is quite simple: I liked ice cream very much, so I decided that I would work at a confectioner’s, or, still better, at an ice cream parlour. However, during my studies I realised that the type of confectionery taught at school, the socialist realist type based on mass production was not for me – I tried to find a place where I could create interesting cakes from quality ingredients as soon as possible. The world of hotels is like that, so I could explore my creativity, I could learn and experiment.
How did you join the café?
I applied for a job. Of course, I did not start in a managerial position, it was something that happened later. I agree with many colleagues on this: this is our dream job. Working in the most beautiful café in the world is a great honour and an enormous challenge at the same time, and we do our best to rise up to it.
How is a new dessert created?
It varies greatly. Sometimes a simple idea works immediately, sometimes we experiment for days and the recipe is still not good. The combinations of flavours and textures always have new potential, and to discover that is a process I truly enjoy. Fortunately, we have everything we need here to create something new, something better.
Why do you think this place is considered excellent? Besides the qualities of the building, naturally...
The team. Every single person who works here is happy to come to work, and there is nothing we can’t do together. It is this momentum that makes us successful, and I believe that this is what guarantees future results.
What was your best experience in the café?
I wouldn’t like to pick one, and perhaps I couldn’t. I’ve had a lot of experiences during my time here, and the most memorable events always have to do with customer satisfaction. It really warms my heart to hear someone say that it is the best dessert they have ever had or that this has been the time of their life.
What are your plans for the future?
We keep developing, and we wish to follow trends and respond to them. Five years ago I wouldn’t have thought that we would be able to create desserts in such quantities and such quality. Now we have to work hard so that when we look back five years from now, we can say the same. New technologies and ingredients appear all the time, so there is always something to learn. At this level, chemistry is very important – we practically conduct scientific analysis on how new recipes can be prepared.
What is your view on confectionery training?
Well, there are upsides and downsides. Not more than 30% of the trainees we work with go on to become good confectioners. It’s not an easy vocation, you need a lot of perseverance, self-discipline and patience. I always say it takes two. If they keep working and don’t give up, we will teach them how to become good confectioners.
