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Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills (A Four Seasons Hotel)
Announces New Executive Pastry Chef
Chris Ford returns to the Four Seasons family and Los Angeles area
October 6, 2015, Los Angeles in Beverly Hills (Beverly Wilshire), U.S.A.
Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills (A Four Seasons Hotel) announces the appointment of Chris Ford as
Executive Pastry Chef starting Monday, October 19, 2015. Ford will oversee the pastry department for
the 395-room Hotel, including a 25,000 square foot (2,300 square metre) banquet operation, in-room
dining sweets and amenities, and the pastry program at THE Blvd, the Hotel’s energetic all day dining spot
overlooking the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive.
Inspired to the kitchen by his grandmother, Ford was baking bread and testing recipes as a six-year-old
growing up in Orlando, Florida. Upon reaching post-secondary-school age, he enrolled in the local Le
Cordon Bleu and fell for dessert about halfway through. “Pastry really opened my mind,” he recalls. “There is
so much creativity and really no boundaries.”
Following graduation, Ford took his talents first to an Orlando-area luxury hotel; then to the acclaimed New
York dessert bar ChikaLicious; and finally to the opening of Trummer’s On Main in Clifton, Virginia. Along
the way he learned how food “speaks” to him and how best to answer back: “Never give a peach more
than it needs,” he says. During his time at Trummers, he was also awarded the “Rising Star” honour from
StarChefs.com.
In 2011, Ford joined Michael Mina’s reputable team as Executive Pastry Chef of the new Four Seasons
Hotel Baltimore. There he enjoyed honing his pastry skills and expanding the range of his craft, overseeing
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a diverse array of outlets including Wit & Wisdom, a modern American tavern; PABU, a Japanese izakaya;
LAMILL Coffee; and Splash Pool Bar & Grille, along with the Hotel’s banquet pastry, room service and
amenity programs. While in Baltimore, Ford earned high praise including Food & Wine magazine’s “People’s
Best New Pastry Chef of 2012,” Tasting Table's "Best Pastry Chef 2012," and was named "Baltimore's Best
Pastry Chef" by Baltimore magazine.
Ford left Four Seasons for a few years to serve as pastry chef of Thomas Keller's celebrated Bouchon,
Bouchon Bakery and Bar Bouchon, during which time he was named one of Zagat's "30 Under 30" of
Los Angeles. Following his time in LA, Ford teamed up with Bryan Voltaggio as corporate pastry chef,
overseeing nine restaurants across the Mid-Atlantic region. While there, he orchestrated a series of
"pastry takeovers" on Instagram featuring top pastry chefs from all over US. The highly visual social media
collaborations not only celebrated the beautiful art of dessert, but also gave Ford the opportunity to partner
with veteran pastry talents that he’s admired for years, such as Michael Laiskonis and Melissa Coppel.
Ford is thrilled to not only return to the West Coast but also to the Four Seasons family where he will bring
his signature theme of “elegant nostalgia” that pays homage to - rather than reinterprets – classic desserts.
In Baltimore, diners were offered delights such as the Baltimore Bar mixing peanuts, pretzels and chocolate
in a nod to the classic Baby Ruth candy bar as well as to hometown boy Babe Ruth, and an airy banana
cream puff with chocolate, coconut tapioca and hazelnut sherbet that is reminiscent of banana cream pie.
Additionally he enjoys incorporating savoury into sweet – “something you can’t do the other way around” –
for concoctions like Bacon Fiddle Faddle, or employing an “anti-griddle” to freeze ice cream to the bottom of
pudding pops dipped in melted bittersweet chocolate and homemade sandwich cookies.
When not busy in the kitchen, he enjoys snapping photos and videos of sweet creations to post on his
Instagram account and his blog, Butter Love & Hardwork which has been featured in several publications.
In addition to enjoying Ford’s pastries at THE Blvd or at a Hotel event, guests will be also be able to get a
virtual taste by following Beverly Wilshire’s social handles and the hashtag #BWPastry.
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PRESS CONTACTS
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Audrey Slade
Director of Public Relations
9500 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills
U.S.A.
audrey.slade@fourseasons.com
+1 (310) 385-3917
Kiersten Dunn
PR Manager
9500 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills
U.S.A.
kiersten.dunn@fourseasons.com
1 (310) 858-2382
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