From OC Register, South Orange County pastry pro Stéphane Tréand opts for fresh digs.
Chef Stéphane Tréand, 49, started his apprenticeship in French pastry at just 16 years old, and even then he was California dreamin‘. When Tréand wasn’t learning the delicate art of pastry, he was skateboarding and listening to the Eagles’ “Hotel California.” The American rock band was a major influence on his ambition to live and work in the U.S.
And his dream was realized when he came to the states in 2005, first serving as the executive pastry chef of the Four Seasons Hotel & Resort in Newport Beach and then as the executive pastry chef in Dana Point at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort.
He came to America ready to hit the ground running – back home, he had earned the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France, or “best craftsman in France,” award in 2004 after completing a rigorous series of pastry-making challenges in what can be considered the French Olympics of craftsmanship. “The judges are always watching,” Tréand said in a phone interview. “The way you work, your organization, your artistry.” He is one of only four MOF winners in the U.S.
With so much talent and skill, it was natural that he decided to pass it on. In 2012, Tréand left his position at the St. Regis to open up The Pastry School in San Clemente. He enjoyed teaching, but he also wanted to open a pâtisserie. “It’s one thing to teach, but people want to taste as well,” Tréand said. So he’s moving to South Coast Collection in Costa Mesa, which seemed like the perfect spot, frequented as it is by foodies and culinary gurus.