For Chefs, Booming Home Businesses In New York and California
"For nearly four years, pastry chef Cathy Asapahu turned out beautiful desserts at Two Star Providence in Hollywood, but when the restaurant closed temporarily, she headed to a kitchen she knows well: her parents' restaurant, MICHELIN Bib Gourmand Ayara Thai Cuisine. What followed was a cornucopia of exquisite desserts: chocolate bonbons for Valentine's Day; pandan chocolate yule logs for Christmas, Bua Loy dumplings shaped liked vulvas and breasts for Women's History Month, shortbread cookie tins, Szechuan peppercorn chocolate eclairs, taro Swiss rolls, pandan Twinkies, rhubarb coconut tarts, and mooncakes. The mooncakes are Asapahu's favorite: 'Growing up, mooncakes were a special treat during this holiday, and we always shipped them to my grandma in Thailand. Learning how to make them and designing my own fillings was deeply nostalgic and fulfilling. We held a tea ceremony in front of Ayara in October where I taught guests how to make their own, and it was very gratifying to share this experience.' Asapahu's mom is her toughest critic. 'My mom and my sister are guinea pigs for any dessert I put on the menu. In our house and in many Asian American families, the highest compliment for a dessert is 'it's not too sweet'. I'm only done with recipe development when I can get my mom to say that. I can't and won't settle for 'that's good' or even 'that's great' from her.' She's back at Providence now, but soon another adventure awaits. Asapahu will spend two months this summer training at École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie in south-central France. Follow @ayarathai and @ayaracathy for updates." - Sophie Friedman
