Keegan Gerhard is an award winning chef, restaurateur and media personality. Specifically a pastry chef, Keegan Gerhard owns D’Bar Desserts, Denver, Colorado and also works as its Executive Chef. He has gained wide prominence while hosting the “Food Network Challenge” a Food Network television cookery competition where the winner is rewarded with a check worth $10,000 along with a gold medal. He hosted the show till the 10th season after which Claire Robinson took over and he became the co-judge of the show along with Kerry Vincent, food writer and director of Oklahoma Sugar Art Show.
Professional Life of Chef Keegan Gerhard
Keegan Gerhard, born on the 2nd of December 1960, was originally a cyclist, whose inclination towards culinary arts was only for earning money to support his career as a cyclist. But when he started working in a San Diego bistro his latent talent for cooking surfaced with which he replaced the pastry chef of the bistro and took over in his place. Mentored by none other than Jacquy Pfeiffer, whom the world knows as “The Master Pastry Chef”, Keegan Gerhard’s career advanced with his working as a pastry chef in a series of restaurants which included Charley Trotters Restaurant, Ritz Carlton Hotel Company, Waldorf Astoria, Dean and De Luca, Wynn Las Vegas, and Gourmet Imports. He rose from the position of pastry chef to Corporate pastry Chef by passing through the intermediary position of Executive Pastry Chef in the mentioned restaurants.
Achievements of Chef Keegan Gerhard
Recognition by Pastry Art & Design and Chocolatier - these magazines had ranked Keegan Gerhard amongst their list of ten best pastry chefs of America.
Great Chefs of America- this program on Discovery Channel featured this worthy pastry chef a number of times
Pastry World Cup Gold Medal- Team USA won a gold medal in 2001 even when Gerhard was the technical advisor for the team.
Distinguishing Visiting Pastry Chef Award- Keegan Gerhard was honored with this award by the Johnson and Wales University
Culinary Excellence Award- Keegan was honored with the Jean Banchet Culinary Excellence Award
James Beard Dinners- Keegan Gerhard was honored with invitation to James Beard Dinner five times
Featuring in magazines of repute – Keegan Gerhard desserts always find place in publications of high repute like Chocolatier, Pastry Art and Design, Food Arts, A Neo Classic View of Plated Desserts and others. His dessert delicacies are marked for their gourmet quality.
