MEET THE CHEF: Cedric Barberet of Barberet Bistro & Bakery in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Tripveel sat down with Executive Chef Cedric Barberet of Barberet Bistro & Bakery in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Where did you grow up and where have you traveled to that has helped inspire and shape your cooking philosophy?
I was born in Cannes, France and raised in Villefranche-sur-Mer near Lyon, France. I grew up in the bakery business with my parents and learned at a very young age the trade of the pastry business with them and got my diploma. I then moved very young at the age of 18 to the South of France in Nice and worked two years in the largest bakery in the area called "Patisserie Chereau" and went on to study for a masters in pastry and management. At twenty years old, I went to Osterville, Massachusetts on Cape Cod and did a season as a Pastry Chef, where I learned both a new culture and new vision of baking and cooking. Eight months later I moved to Palm Beach, Florida and became the pastry chef and garden manager of one of the top ten best restaurants in South Florida at the time, according to The Palm Beach Post. After six years of working there I had the opportunity to take over as the Executive Pastry Chef of Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida (Donald J. Trump’s private club). I ran it for six years and even created his wedding cake (10 most extravagant cakes of the century according to VH1 and other media). Then in 2008, I moved to Las Vegas, Nevada to open a resort and in 2009 I moved to Philadelphia and worked at the famed Restaurant Le Bec-Fin, until it closed in 2012. After that, I took a position in a corporate group of restaurant where I ran Buddakan, an asian concept, and helped with the opening of some of their locations such as Le Diplomate in Washington, D.C. and Upland in New York. It was 2015 when my wife and I decided to open a bakery and bistro with a casual french food theme having local and international flair. My philosophy is classic dishes twisted into more modern presentation, yet keeping all the fundamental of French classic cooking and baking influences.
Tell our readers an interesting fact or two about yourself.
In 2005 during my time in Palm Beach, Florida at Mar-a-Lago Club, I created and designed the wedding cakes for Donald and Melania Trump. I’m also a soccer fanatic!
Tell us about your absolute favorite food and why readers should try it if they haven’t already.
You should try Bouillabaisse, a traditional seafood dish from the South of France, it’s composed of monkfish, scallops, mussels, shrimp, potatoes and served with a saffron-tomato fish broth. Always save some room for dessert of course! “The Floating Island” is a must try, lightly poached meringue over a bed of creme anglaise served with caramel and dried raspberry.
What are three ingredients that you simply couldn’t live without?
Chocolate, cured meats and any kind of spice.
We love the art behind plating. What do you love about designing the perfect dish?
For me, perfect dish is a dish that has all the components—creamy, crunchy, hot and cold and when you design the plate there is a sense of movement. So basically, it does not stand straight like a tree, but as movement that makes some sense.
Tell us about one of the most creative dishes you’ve created?
The most creative dish I’ve ever created would be what I call "Boule Noire." It’s a thin half sphere of chocolate filled with pear sorbet, pear vanilla brunoise, cocoa nib nougatine and capped off with another half sphere. We then pour hot dark chocolate over the top just to get the boule to open up a bit in front of the guest. It’s so rewarding seeing their reaction! Check out the video:
Share your most recent awards and accreditations with us!
Barberet Bistro was awarded “Best Restaurant in Central Pennsylvania” 2018-2019
Barberet Bakery was awarded “Best Bakery in America” 2019
Chevalier du mérite agricole 2017
“The Order of Agricultural Merit is an order bestowed by the French Republic for outstanding contribution to agriculture and food. It was second in importance only to the Legion of honor within the French order of precedence when it was created.”
“Top 10 pastry Chef in America” in 2016 by Dessert Professional
Member of the Academie Culinaire de France in 2011
Chef Ambassador of Cacao Barry USA (only 10 in North America and 100 in world club )
