Jacques Torres#Chocolate with Jacques Torres

File:Counter display at Jacques Torres Chocolate in DUMBO.jpg

Torres was born in Algiers and grew up in Bandol, a fishing village in the South of France.{{cite news|last=Louie|first=Elaine|title=Possessed; A Confection for a Chocolatier: Two Wheels, East River Views|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/12/style/possessed-a-confection-for-a-chocolatier-two-wheels-east-river-views.html |work=The New York Times |accessdate=31 October 2011|date=12 May 2002}}{{cite news|last=Cazenueve|first=Brian|title=All Chocolate, No Oompa-Loompas|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/22/dining/22CHOC.html |work=The New York Times |accessdate=31 October 2011|date=22 December 2004}} When Torres was 15 years old, he began an apprenticeship at a small pastry shop and completed his apprenticeship requirements in two years, graduating first in his class. In 1980 he began working with two-star Michelin chef Jacques Maximin at the Hotel Negresco. During that time, Torres also attended culinary school to earn a Master Pastry Chef degree. Next, he taught pastry courses at a culinary school in Cannes from 1983 to 1986.{{cite web|title=Jacques Torres|url=http://www.ailf.org/awards/ny2001/jtorres.htm|publisher=American Immigration Law Foundation|accessdate=31 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810123225/http://www.ailf.org/awards/ny2001/jtorres.htm|archive-date=10 August 2011|url-status=dead}} In 1986, Torres was the youngest person ever to win the Meilleur Ouvrier Pâtissier de France competition.{{cite news|last=Fabricant|first=Florence | authorlink = Florence Fabricant |title=One Chef's Successes|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/05/garden/one-chef-s-successes.html|work=The New York Times |accessdate=31 October 2011|date=5 July 1989}}

Torres moved to the United States, and in 1988 he served as the Corporate Pastry Chef for the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company before moving on to Le Cirque, where he worked for 11 years as Executive Pastry Chef. Torres joined the faculty of the International Culinary Center in 1993, and after designing the Classic Pastry Arts Curriculum in 1996, he became the school's Dean of Pastry Arts.{{cite web|title=Chef Jacques Torres|url=http://www.chef2chef.net/articles/featured-chef/jacques-torres.html |publisher=Chef2Chef|accessdate=31 October 2011}} In 2000, Torres left Le Cirque to open a chocolate factory and retail shop in Brooklyn, New York. Currently, there are eight Jacques Torres shops, including one chocolate factory in the Brooklyn Army Terminal and an ice cream shop in Grand Central Terminal.{{cite web|title=Jacques Torres|url=http://www.frenchculinary.com/explore/bios/deans/jacques_torres|publisher=The French Culinary Institute|accessdate=31 October 2011|archive-date=27 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027153103/http://www.frenchculinary.com/explore/bios/deans/jacques_torres|url-status=dead}} In March 2017 Jacques opened New York City's first chocolate museum, named Choco-Story New York. The {{convert|5000|sqft|adj=on}} museum opened at the site of his flagship store in Manhattan.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

In 2007, Torres married chocolatier Hasty Khoei, who formerly worked under Torres in his chocolate factory. Khoei owned a chocolate shop, Madame Chocolat, in Beverly Hills, California.{{cite web|last=Dougherty|first=Margot|title=Tout Sweet|url=http://www.lamag.com/Story.aspx?ID=1389480|work=Los Angeles Magazine|accessdate=31 October 2011}} Their son, Pierre, was born on August 19, 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://celebritybabies.people.com/2016/09/30/jacques-torres-welcomes-son-pierre/|title=Jacques Torres welcomes son Pierre|work=People|date=September 30, 2016|access-date=13 December 2016|archive-date=20 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220200236/http://celebritybabies.people.com/2016/09/30/jacques-torres-welcomes-son-pierre/|url-status=dead}} Their daughter, Jacqueline, was born on April 5, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv4T5QUBihW/?igshid=1793ugxo8ipa1|title=Jacques Torres (@jacquestorres) on Instagram|work=Instagram|date=April 5, 2019|accessdate=April 1, 2020}} The family currently resides in New York City.

Torres appeared as a judge on Season 4 of Next Great Baker,{{Cite web|url=https://www.channelguidemag.com/tv-news/2014/06/20/talk-next-great-baker-season-4-new-judge-jacques-torres/|title=We talk Next Great Baker Season 4 with new judge Jacques Torres|last=Acken|first=Lori|date=2014-06-20|website=Channel Guide Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-08}} and is a judge and co-host on the cooking comedy show Nailed It! alongside Nicole Byer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eater.com/2018/12/5/18122813/nailed-it-nicole-byer-jacques-torres-hosts-best-tv-duo|title=Nicole Byer and Jacques Torres Made Food TV Better This Year|first=Greg|last=Morabito|date=December 5, 2018|website=Eater}}

File:Jacques Torres Chocolate, 66 Water Street, Brooklyn NY.jpg]]

Torres's awards include the James Beard Foundation Pastry Chef of the Year, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, the Chefs of America Pastry Chef of the Year, and Chartreuse Pastry Chef of the Year. He is a member of the {{ill|Académie Culinaire de France|fr}}, and in 2003 the James Beard Foundation inducted him into the Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} Torres is the author of two Dessert Circus books, and the host of the Food Network TV show Chocolate with Jacques Torres.{{cite news| url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/chocolate-with-jacques-torres |title=Chocolate with Jacques Torres on Food Network}} In 2004 he opened his chocolate factory and second retail location in Manhattan, Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} On May 13, 2010, Torres, along with culinary chefs from the French Culinary Institute (now known as The International Culinary Center), Jacques Pepin, Alain Sailhac and André Soltner, prepared a $30,000-per-couple dinner for U.S. President Barack Obama's fund-raiser for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee at Manhattan's St. Regis Hotel.{{cite news| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/05/13/2010-05-13_prez_chases_wall_st_cash_at_dems_fete_hell_go_from_scold_to_host_as_he_ushers_ba.html | location=New York | work=NY Daily News | title=Holiday shopping: Tips to find the best deals on Cyber Monday 2010}}

Chocolate with Jacques Torres is a North American television cooking show hosted by Jacques Torres.{{cite web|url=http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/chefsexperts/interviews/jacquestorres|title=Epicurious|accessdate =11 July 2010}} It premiered in on the Food Network in 2002. The show was taped in the United States and France, occasionally in Torres's home region of Provence. Its primary focus is on extravagant chocolate-based desserts, including chocolate sculptures, centerpieces, and other edible artwork. Torres often describes techniques viewers can use to make their own at home.

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.notesontheroad.com/jacques-torres.html/ Interview with Torres] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121122130953/http://notesontheroad.com/jacques-torres.html |date=22 November 2012 }}
• [http://www.mrchocolate.com/ Mr. Chocolate]

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Category:Living people

Category:French chefs

Category:French male chefs

Category:Pastry chefs

Category:1959 births

Category:James Beard Foundation Award winners

Category:Pieds-noirs