Q&A: Jacques Torres

As you quickly tread through the far West Village, don't be surprised if a guy in a chef's coat blissfully rides past you on a bike. That's just famed chocalatier Jacques Torres heading to his Hudson Street sweet shop from his part-time home: a docked boat on the Hudson River.

"Unless I have a lot of bags to carry, I don't take cabs or the subway," Torres says. "Most of the time I'm on a bicycle. I need to see the sky. I need to feel the rain. I even bike in the snow!"

Fans of the New York Chocolate Show, which takes over Pier 94 from Nov. 7–9, could probably care less how Torres gets there, just as long as he's there with his rich, delectable bonbons: Aside from being an exhibitor this year, Torres also sits on the jury that will decide the U.S. delegate to the World Chocolate Masters competition in Paris next year. (The lucky chocolatier will be announced at the Chocolate Show on Sunday.)

Torres hopped off his bike long enough for a quick chat...

Which New York pastry chefs do you think create the most interesting desserts?
Dominique Ansel from Daniel and Johnny Iuzzini of Jean Georges. Dominique made a coconut dessert that was just amazing. Johnny does a lot of small dessert samples and does a beautiful job.

What about up-and-comers?
Jean-Sebastien Magat of Benoit. Any classical dessert that guy does is so well done. You can tell he's classically trained.

So you're on the jury for the U.S. finals of the World Chocolate Masters competition. What do they give you for being a judge? A chocolate watch?
[Laughs] No watch. I've been involved from the very beginning. All those events help the profession to move forward. The more people know, the more exposure we get, the more the profession will be better. The trend is going [toward] higher-quality ingredients, smaller portions and better techniques.

Why do you think the show has been so successful?
Chocolate is a magical product. Everybody likes it: kids, men, women, any gender, any race, any age. It's a mystical product. You say the word "chocolate" and people instantly smile. And it's a very versatile product. You can do so much with it.

We're all still reeling from the SWEET dessert event at last month's Wine & Food Festival. Can New Yorkers handle another dessert show so soon afterward?
New York can handle a lot! There's a lot of talent and a lot of food in New York. And New Yorkers know about good food. You cannot fool New Yorkers!

What did you enjoy most at the Wine & Food Festival?
I went to the Burger Bash because I had a booth there and did a class next to the meat market and it was a lot of fun! I danced all night. I was always surprised that New York didn't have a food festival, what with all the talent here. It was so well organized. I hope there are more to come.

Ever get a sugar rush?
No, I've been eating chocolate for too long and have a pretty high tolerance. All my life, I've been testing desserts and chocolate, so I learned to pace myself. My chocolate doesn't contain much sugar anyway because I use 60 percent cocoa in my dark [chocolate].

What's your favorite kind of chocolate?
Dark chocolate is my favorite. But, it depends on the time of day. When I'm having an afternoon craving, I might go to milk chocolate with nuts. If it's in the evening and I'm not too hungry but want something to finish my dinner or a drink on a strong note, I'll go with a 70, 72 or even a 75 percent chocolate.

I love your ice cream sandwich.
[Laughs] That is the least French product I make, but the cookies are so good! It's amazing when you put two good products together, how wonderful it is. I think our employees break the cookies just to eat them. When those things come out of the oven, their eyes become bigger and their noses start to move!


Photo by Tod Seelie