Chez Panisse Desserts

"I worked at this restaurant for 13 years as a baker. I made all of the recipes in the book all the time. That book is a part of my life, and I was heavily influenced by the simplicity of them. They use a lot of fresh fruits and don’t rely on fancy techniques – just good, honest cookery like the books of Jane Grigson. All in all, a very simple approach to honest cooking. It was one of the first restaurants to lead the movement in America to cook in season, using things that are local and supporting local farms and farmers. When I started there, no one knew what radicchio, blood oranges, goat cheese and baby lettuce were. Our guests were amazed, and now you can find those things in most supermarkets in the States. Chez Panisse was a leader in that movement and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. She was self-taught and great. I learnt so much working with her. She grew up on a farm so she knew a lot about fruit and vegetables, and she loved the ingredients. The lemon tart was very good!"