Pastry Chef: Merri Schwartz

Merri Schwartz, pastry chef at Quattro on Fourth Restaurant, is passionate about wanting to see sustainability in the culinary workplace. From an early age, she witnessed her activist parents work for a better world and acted on her passion by creating the Growing Chefs (GC) Project.   Chef Schwartz is a talented visual artist, environmental advocate and scholar who creates through pastry making.

1. Why did you want to become a pastry chef?
   The culinary world always attracted me.  During a tour of a local culinary institute, the tour guide asked me what I planned to study. Perplexed, I asked, “How do I know?” She suggested closing my eyes, imagine going into a kitchen to make something fun just for me by choosing between baking and cooking. We laughed when I said pastry making, without any hesitation. 
   
   Why did you want to create Growing Chefs?
   Helping the world become a better place was modeled to me by my ‘back to the land” hippy parents.  With Growing Chefs I am taking action to help our world become more sustainable.
   
   
2. What path did you take to get to your current position?
   I received a B.A. in visual arts, majoring in sculpture and printmaking from the University of Toronto. After completing the Baking and Pastry Arts program at Vancouver Community College, I worked with Cocoa West on Bowen Island while also working as assistant pastry chef and then pastry chef at C Restaurant, to increase my technical knowledge. In 2006, I was honoured to receive a Les Dames d’Escoffier scholarship to study at the Valrhona Institute in France. When I returned, Quattro hired me as their pastry chef. 
   
   
3. What was/is your greatest challenge and your most rewarding component of your job?
   The biggest challenge has been bridging my two passions—satisfying my creative life in pastry making and fulfilling my sense of social responsibility. As well, it has been hard as a female pastry chef to find role models in the industry.
   
   Working with local ingredients and forming relationships with local farmers and producers are the rewards through my work to build sustainability. With Growing Chefs, it’s rewarding to watch kids light up as they realize they can grow their own food, as well as observe the chef volunteers share their expertise and realize their value.
   
   
4. Did you have to overcome any obstacles?
   Growing Chefs is a huge time obligation, which means I can only work part-time. While this has been economically challenging, I am seeking funding to hire a part-time administrator to assist me.
   
   
5. What advice would you give to someone entering your industry?
   Stage as much as you can, keep tasting new foods and flavours, and travel when you can to gain proficiency and versatility. I would encourage young women to create relationships with industry role models, especially females in the industry. The more first-hand experience you have in every part of your career, developing your skills, knowledge, and technique, the stronger and more well rounded you will be.