Two Walt Disney World
pastry chefs are named to a magazine’s top-10 list.
Two pastry chefs at Walt Disney World have risen to the top of their industry.
Stefan Riemer and Olivier Saintemarie have been named to this year’s Dessert Professional magazine list of Top 10 pastry chefs in America.
Both became interested in the field as children.
Riemer, the executive pastry chef on the Culinary Development team for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, started making gelato in his father’s shop in Germany.
He later traveled the world to build his skills. “My goal was to work in every level of the culinary profession — as a baker, confectioner, chocolatier and pastry chef.”
Riemer became a Master Pastry Chef, working in bakeries, hotels, restaurants and entertainment companies before joining Disney in 1999.
“Since the time I was young, I always wanted to work in the United States,” Riemer said. “I was reading Mickey Mouse comic books as a kid and when the opportunity to work for one of the most iconic American companies in the world came, I was thrilled to be a part of the magic.”
One of Riemer’s most recent projects was developing desserts for Pandora — The World of Avatar in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The blueberry cream cheese mousse can be found at restaurant Satu’li Canteen; the pineapplecream cheese Pongu Lumpia is served at drink stand Pongu Pongu.
Over in Epcot, Saintemarie is ramping up for the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. The executive pastry chef heads the French pavilion.
It’s a good fit. Saintemarie became passionate about pastry and baking at age 11 while spending time at his uncle’s Parisian bakeries.
“I was fascinated with the dough mixing, the different processes and all the products you could make with simple but quality ingredients,” he said.
Saintemarie apprenticed at the Pavilion Dauphine in Paris before earning his master’s degree and then joining the Disney Cruise Line in 1999. After a few short months, he became the executive pastry chef.
The opportunity to open France pavilion’s foodie attractions caught Saintemarie’s attention in 2011. The section contains the 7,000-square-foot bakery Les Halles, artisanal ice cream shop L’artisan des Glaces and the newly redesigned Monsieur Paul, a fine-dining restaurant named after French chef Paul Bocuse.
“I have been able to build up and train our current team of 35 to take care of bread and pastries for Les Halles Bakery shop, design and create all our products that we make fresh daily, and at the same time give our guests the sensation they are in France,” Saintemarie said of his time in the France pavilion.
Both chefs strive to stay up-to-date with the latest dessert trends particularly through social media.
“It’s important to stay on top of the trends and look for ideas to mesh with our own,” Saintemarie said.