Profiles
Pastry chef advocates Hawaiian vanilla beans

Advertiser Staff

Jeff Walters said he orders sushi when he goes out to eat, because it's something he doesn't make at home. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

• Born: Michigan; in Hawai'i 19 years

• Age: 40

• Culinary background: Worked in bakeries and hotels including with chef George Mavrothalassitis at the Halekulani; apprenticed at at Kapi'olani Community College with chef Ernst Hiltbrand

• My style of cooking: "I try to do flavors that work well together and keep my presentation clean and simple, matching what chef Mavrothalassitis does. I like to do things like taking a local favorite, malassadas, and elevating it to a plated dessert. I like to use Hawaiian vanilla beans in almost everything."

Favorites:

• Beverage: Iced cafe mochas

• Comfort food: Ice cream

• Cookbook: "The Professional Pastry Chef" by Bo Friberg

• TV cooking show: "Iron Chef"

• Kitchen tool: My 20-quart mixer

• When I'm really hungry, I grab: "Yogurt and bananas"

• When I'm not working I like to: "Spend time with my wife and work out" (bodybuilding)

• When I go out to eat I like: "Sushi, because it's not something we do at home"

• If I could invite three people to dinner, I would invite: "Cyclist Lance Armstrong, Paul Stanley of the rock group Kiss and Arnold Schwarzenegger"

• My dream job in the culinary world is: "What I'm doing now. I do everything from bread, plated desserts, wedding cakes, candies and sugar work."