Photo by Paula Abreu Pita
Mango glazed cheesecake topped with local fruits and Thai curry ice cream
The irony doesn’t escape Ana De Sa Martins that, even though her career revolves around restaurants, as a child growing up in Venezuela, she rarely visited them. Instead, her culinary landscape was shaped by her mother, an avid home cook, whom De Sa Martins grew up bonding with, not only in the kitchen but also through the culinary shows they always watched together. The idea that she could become a chef did not even occur to her until she moved to New York when she was 18 years old to pursue a degree in hospitality management.
“Back then, being a chef in Venezuela was not really a thing,” the 30-year-old explains.
And while she graduated from The Institute of Culinary Education, an esteemed institution in Manhattan, she admits that her pathway to becoming a pastry chef was accidental.
Peanut Butter Candy Bar
“I wasn’t sure if the kitchen was for me. I did not enjoy the heat, grease and meticulous job of cleaning seafood, chopping onions, etc., but I knew I wanted to be somewhere in the restaurant business. My baking professor encouraged me to do a summer internship program in France and I said, ‘Why not?’ I knew already I did not want to be in the kitchen but I went anyway because I couldn’t miss the opportunity to go to France.”
She landed in Aux Trois Rois, a small restaurant in Alsace in northeastern France, where she was assigned to the pastry station. De Sa Martins describes it as a pivotal experience in her career.
“I fell in love with baking and making desserts due to its precision, elegance and much slower pace.”
She returned to New York City, working as a pastry chef assistant in Patisserie Chanson and The Dessert Bar where she prepared pastry goods in high volume and was responsible for daily offerings that included ice cream, sorbets, éclairs, macarons and petit gateaux, among others.
Today, De Sa Martins is the Executive Pastry Chef at one of South Florida’s most venerable restaurants, Stubborn Seed. She prides herself in using locally sourced ingredients when preparing desserts like Milk Chocolate Chile Cremeux made with barley horchata ice cream, chocolate sponge and cherry textures, and Candy Bar, featuring a fudge brownie, caramel ice cream and peanut butter mouse dipped in a chocolate peanut butter glaze paired with banana passionfruit sorbet.
In June 2022, Stubborn Seed received its first Michelin Star for its brash and creative cooking, eight-course tasting menu and stunning desserts. Working with Chef Jeremy Ford, the restaurant’s executive chef and winner of “Top Chef” Season 13, serves as a motivation to always be on the top of her game.
“There is a lot of technique and ‘wow’ factor in Chef Jeremy’s style of cooking and in his dishes. The man has worked for the best and has a few years ahead of me. He is always challenging me to use a new ingredient or learn a new technique and I appreciate him for that,” she says.
De Sa Martins attributes hard work and the support of mentors who have encouraged her in her professional journey. She aspires to create a similar learning experience for other women starting in the industry and hopes to pass on the important lessons she has learned along the way.
“I think I am very approachable and can create a work environment where it is acceptable to make mistakes and restart again. It sounds cliché, but some years and some tears in the kitchen have taught me to focus on solutions rather than wasting time and energy with problems. I teach with patience and kindness, just like my mentors did with me,” De Sa Martins says.
Looking ahead, she hopes to one day own a small bakery or cafe.
“Bakeries are my happy place and I have always dreamed of owning one. Coffee, pastries and bread are my favorite things in the world, so if I can make money out of those three, I think I would be very happy.”
Banana Cake
I got this recipe while working at a patisserie in New York City. It is not only a super easy recipe to make but also a big hit every time. I thought more people should have it. I made the recipe my own by adding a tahini-cream cheese frosting. The cake is super moist, tender and delicately sweet. The frosting is nutty, tangy and perfectly complements the banana cake.
Ingredients:
6 bananas, ripe
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
¾ cup sunflower oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
Grease a 10-inch round baking pan using nonstick cooking spray.
In the bowl of a standing mixer using the paddle attachment, blend the bananas and sugars to break down the bananas until a purée. Add in the eggs, oil and vanilla extract and mix to incorporate. Lastly, add in the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Pour batter into the greased baking pan and bake at 350⁰ F until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, approximately 35-40 minutes.
Allow the cake to cool completely before unmolding.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes before decorating with the frosting.
Tahini-Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8-oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
¼ cup tahini
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
In the bowl of a standing mixer using the paddle attachment, place the cream cheese, butter, tahini and maple syrup. Mix on medium speed until the cream cheese mix becomes lighter in color, approximately 5 mins. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt and continue mixing until creamy and lump-free.
Decorating Tips:
I like to have fun while decorating my cakes. I encourage you to use different piping tips to pipe the frosting, edible flowers, fruits, etc. The goal is to not only make a tasty cake, but also to impress your guests and show off your artistic skills.