| Biography
~ Pastry Chef Stefan Riemer
Stefan Riemer was a youngster in Berlin,
Germany, when his father bought an ice cream factory. Every day
the 12-year-old would join his dad as they churned out 25 fresh
flavors full of cream and sugar. “Everyone in my family loves
sweets,” says Chef Riemer with a smile.
Encouraged by his family, he started with a pastry apprenticeship
at age 16 just before high school graduation. He then went on to
Culinary Pastry School in Brunswick, Germany, graduating as a certified
master pastry chef.
“My dream as a kid was to go to America,” says Riemer.
Though there were many interesting twists and turns along the way,
today he’s pastry chef at Disney’s Yacht & Beach
Club Resorts where he oversees a staff of 28 who create everything
from a single, perfect crème brûlee to banquet desserts
for thousands.
The road to WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort started at the Hotel Palace
Berlin in Germany, with stops along the way in Switzerland, Indonesia
and India. “I wanted to experience different culture, to prove
myself,” says Riemer. In Indonesia, for instance, he worked
in a kitchen with no air-conditioning and limited supplies. “I
learned to respect different cultures, different cuisines,”
he explains. “It was the best on-the-job training I could
ever imagine.”
Notable experiences include his work in 1996 as pastry chef for
the Hotel Konigshof in Munich, Germany, when the restaurant won
a five-star award for “Best Hotel Restaurant” in Germany.
In 1997, he was on the opening team for the Hotel Adlon in Kempinsky,
Germany, today one of Germany’s top hotels.
While he was working in Germany, he took part in
the international “chef olympics,” winning the silver
medal with Team Bavaria.
A mutual friend introduced him to Erich Herbitschek, the pastry
chef at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. They met
while he was working in Asia, and today Riemer considers him one
of his greatest mentors. “He understands and respects people,”
says Riemer, “and he’s a great coach.” Herbitschek’s
edible works of art have won numerous awards, and his high standards
have been a great inspiration, says Riemer.
Upon arrival at Disney, Riemer worked for six months with Herbitschek
in the kitchen at Disney’s Grand Floridian, and then was offered
the pastry chef spot at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts.
Each day begins by 8 a.m., with a cappuccino and time to organize.
Much of his time is spent training his dedicated staff of bakers.
“Baking is not like cooking,” explains Riemer. “We
need to scale, mix, bake, cut and garnish. There are very specific
steps to follow, specific temperatures, specific weights. Time is
critical.” A chef can whip up a plate, says Riemer, but pastry
is much more precise. “That’s why there are not many
pastry chefs in the world,” he says with a wry smile.
Riemer’s favorite medium to work with is chocolate. “It’s
a great inspiration,” says Riemer. He creates exquisite, edible
works of art, like a dark chocolate box filled with chocolate truffles,
or a chocolate cake layered with fresh fruit fillings and decorated
with fresh fruit and thin shavings of gold. And though he also loves
to eat chocolate (chocolate lava cake is a favorite) his passion,
he says, is gelato, “light, with great flavor.” But
his all-time favorite is mango pudding, a secret recipe he learned
from a Chinese chef.
His workdays usually don’t end until 7 p.m., but Riemer says
he bakes every single day, and often spends his free time trying
out new dessert ideas. One of his most popular new creations is
an interactive children’s dessert—a white-chocolate
puzzle of a Disney character that the child assembles, decorates
with colorful fruit spreads, then devours.
On days off, he enjoys swimming, working out, and playing tennis.
“After all day in a kitchen with no windows, I like to spend
a lot of time outdoors,” he says. The photogenic chef also
has done a few modeling assignments.
“My career as a pastry chef has taken me around the world,”
says Riemer, “I can’t imagine another job that’s
so educational and enjoyable.”
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