Johnny Iuzzini

The inspiring thing is that people are often more experimental with their desserts than other courses. It allows me to be more creative and excite people.

I didn't come from a wealthy family. My dad told us if we wanted spending money, we had to earn it. So I developed an early work ethic.

Part of what makes a great chef is the ability to adapt, cook, and to taste. A great chef will use all their food knowledge, food memories, and senses to work with each ingredient and apply themselves to the dish they are creating.

As chefs, especially pastry chefs, your creativity plays such an important part in your daily work. We truly do have a blank canvas to work with every time we create a new dish.

Both my parents worked. So it wasn't like the previous generation where we learned how to cook and bake from our mothers and grandmothers.