Every group of friends and family needs a few people in their midst. The one who makes everyone laugh. The one who keeps everyone in line, and the one who is just there for everyone all the time. But, at the end of the day, every group probably wishes they had a pastry chef in the midst (or a doctor, or an attorney, or someone who can help them in the best ways possible). Who does not love a pastry chef? Jacque Torres is a pastry chef – a very famous one – with a lot of skill and talent in the kitchen, and he is a man the world loves to get to know.
1. He is French
Jacque Torres, if you didn’t guess by his first name, is French. He was born in Algiers, French Algeria on June 14, 1959. He grew up in a place nearby called Bandon, which is a small fishing village. It is located in the South of France, which is a lovely region of the country.
2. He Apprenticed Early
At the tender age of 15, he was already working as an apprentice to a baker in France. Where most kids this age are busy hanging out with friends and playing sports, Torres spent two years as an apprentice for a baker at a small pastry shop. He completed his apprenticeship in approximately two years.
3. He Was 21 and Working With a Michelin Star Chef
By the time he was only 21, he was working with a two-star Michelin Chef by the name of Jacques Maximin. They were together at the Hotel Negresco. He worked here learning from the best when he was not attending his culinary school courses. This was an invaluable additional learning time for Torres.
4. He Attended Culinary School
While working alongside the famed chef, Torres was also attending culinary courses. he was working on his Master Pastry Chef degree at the same time, and the additional hands-on learning and experience were invaluable to him. This time in his life was so paramount to the success he has today, and it’s something that gave him both the in-depth education and personal knowledge he needed to make it work.
5. He Taught Culinary Classes
While living in Cannes in the 80s, he also taught culinary courses. Imagine being such a talented pastry chef that you are able to go to school to learn and then become an educator only a few short years later.
6. He Moved to the US and Took on Huge Jobs
As the 80s wore on, Torres made the decision to move to America and take a job in the corporate world. He worked first for the Ritz Carlton Hotel Group as the Corporate Pastry Chef. He spent some time there before moving on the become the Executive Pastry Chef at the famed Le Cirque restaurant. He spent 11 years of his career at Le Cirque.
7. He Opened a Shop
It wasn’t until 2000 that Torres decided to forgo his job at Le Cirque, but he had a bigger plan in mind for himself at that time. He was ready to venture out on his own, and that he did. He took on the role of opening his own chocolate shop in New York. He did so in Brooklyn, and that was only the first of the eight shops he has throughout the city. In 2017, he also opened his own chocolate museum in New York City.
8. He Married a Pastry Chef
During the mid-2000s, he decided it was time to plan his personal future, and he proposed to his girlfriend. Her name is Hasty Khoei. They worked together at his chocolate factory in the past. She worked for him, they began dating, fell in love, and they got married in 2007. They are now the proud parents of a Pierre and Jacqueline. Their son was born in 2016, and their little girl in 2019.
9. He Made History
Torres was only 26/27 when he was awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier Patissier de France competition title of winner. He was the youngest person ever to win this competition, and it is through no easy feat. He did it, and he gets to spend the rest of his life basking in the glory of his success and the fact that his name will not only be associated with a win, but also with being the youngest person to ever win.
10. His Wife Has Her Own Chocolate Shop
Hatsy Khoei worked under Torres in his own chocolate shop in New York, and she learned some valuable information while working with her future husband. She took what he taught her and made it work for herself when she opened her own chocolate shop called Madame Chocolat in California. Her shop is located in Beverly Hills.
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