E-Squared Magazine
Art + Science | Culture
cheftai

Thursday, February 7th, 2019

The Art + Science of Dessert

Photo courtesy of Eric Nemens

As a concept restaurant, The Chocolate Pig specializes in creative and contemporary plates. Tyler Davis, better known as “Chef Tai,” was recently named executive pastry chef at The Chocolate Pig and his desserts are sure to transport you to another world.

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Chef Tai one-on-one. As order after order came in, he described the ingredients and processes involved in creating his plated works of art. With a few spritzes and dusting of powdered sugar, he debut his new dessert, “Snow Globe,” featuring pain d’epices, chestnut crémeux, and gingerbread ice cream.  Watching Davis carefully assemble and embellish desserts right before my eyes, I saw a spectacular convergence of art and science. Being a chef is not as easy as it may appear to an outsider looking in. In order to achieve the desired results, it takes numerous failures and successes. A successful chef will possess a vast knowledge base of food chemistry and be able to reach the creative climbs of the imagination. Chef Tai’s desserts certainly reflect an individual who has put in countless hours and effort to arrive at a destination of great expertise in both the arts + sciences.

Davis has created a menu that is undeniably a work of art. His current dessert menu is inspired by his nostalgia-filled childhood and features sweets with names like Milk & Cereal, Peanut Butter Bomb, and Affogato Caviar. Before his current position, he worked at a number of reputable St. Louis restaurants and even started his own dessert business, Alchemy Artisan Bakery. He has garnered national attention for his appearance on the Food Network’s Halloween Baking Championship and he was also nominated for Feast Magazine’s Top Pastry Chef of the Year.

You can follow Chef Tai on instagram @iofthetyler

Affogato Caviar; Photo courtesy of Feast Magazine
Affogato Caviar; Photo courtesy of Feast Magazine