Q&A: #Drive305 x Chef Antonio Bachour

#Drive305 x Chef Antonio Bachour from World Red Eye Films on Vimeo.

Miami, FL – May 14, 2021 – A passion for pastries and the finer things in life… Antonio Bachour certainly has both. For the final installment of #DRIVE305, World Red Eye collaborated with the one and only master of pastries, Chef Antonio Bachour, to explore the luxurious Aston Martin DBX.

When it comes to the art of desserts, no one does it quite like Antonio Bachour. Growing up in Puerto Rico, Bachour’s interest in pastries began during his childhood in which he spent most of his time at his family’s bakery. He soon travelled to Miami to begin a noteworthy career starting with joining the opening team of W South Beach Hotel in 2009, then heading the pastries at The Trump Soho hotel and its restaurants, followed by his tenure at the Bal Harbour St. Regis where he was Executive Pastry Chef from 2011 until 2016. Here, Bachour cemented his local and international fame and went on to receive several awards including being named as one of the “Top 10 Pastry Chefs” in the country and the 2012 Zest Award for Baking & Pastry Innovator. In 2018, Antonio was awarded the Best Pastry Chef Award by the prestigious Best Chefs Awards organization, the world’s leading culinary award platform. In 2019 Bachour opened his first flagship store, Bachour Bakery & Restaurant, in Coral Gables to much success, quickly becoming a favorite among locals for its hyper-creative and delicious desserts.

In the spirit of innovation and luxury, Bachour was paired with a car as unique and vibrant as his one-of-kind desserts, the all-new Aston Martin DBX. Bachour took WRE for a drive around town, showing us what day in the life of one of the country’s top pastry chefs looks like, and also discussed his experience working with THE COLLECTION. Read the full Q&A below.

By Gaby Cuevas

Antonio Bachour

WRE: You are known as one of the top pastry chefs in America. What made you gravitate specifically towards pastries?

Antonio Bachour: I have always loved desserts since I was a child! My mother always made desserts at home, which is where my interest in pastries and the process behind making them began. WRE: How did you first get your start in the culinary world? AB: My first introduction into the culinary world was through my parents’ bakery in Puerto Rico. I visited the bakery daily to go see the pastry chefs prepare the desserts. At the age of 13 I began helping out, learning how to decorate the pastries, and I haven’t stopped making desserts since.

Antonio Bachour

WRE: Much of your career has been spent here in Miami, working at acclaimed hospitality destinations such as W South Beach Hotel, Scarpetta, and the Bal Harbour St. Regis. Tell us more about your experience at each.

AB: Each hotel and restaurant that I worked at in Miami was very different from one another. I had an amazing experience working at every location during the time that Miami was transforming into a real culinary destination. The opportunity to both expand and contribute my knowledge throughout the process was incredible. From working at Scarpetta designing an Italian dessert menu with a Miami and Caribbean rhythm, to running the entire pastry department of the W and St. Regis, all of the hospitality destinations I worked out throughout my career helped shape me and provided me with a unique and diverse skill set that I still carry with me today.

WRE: In 2019 you opened Bachour Bakery & Restaurant, your first flagship store located in Coral Gables. Why did you finally decide to open your own place?

AB: I decided to open my own bakery and restaurant in here Miami because I have always thought that Miami lacked a presence of dessert and pastry shops, especially compared to other cities in Europe. We opened Bachour Bakery & Restaurant to provide our community with quality desserts without having to envy any European city!

Antonio Bachour

WRE: Tell us about your experience working with THE COLLECTION.

AB: My experience working with THE COLLECTION has been excellent! My desserts go hand in hand with the THE COLLECTION’s brand: luxurious, one of a kind…. that is how I view my desserts: like jewels. I believe our partnership also complements one another, as customers often visit Bachour Café inside THE COLLECTION and already know they are guaranteed products of good quality and an unparalleled experience from both of our businesses.

Antonio Bachour

WRE: How does the Aston Martin DBX compare to other cars you’ve driven?

AB: The experience of driving this car was incredible! It is an absolute machine; just the feeling from accelerating the pedal and hearing the car’s engine was something I have never seen or experienced with other cars before. Truly one of a kind.

WRE: What did you enjoy most about the Aston Martin DBX?

AB: The interior design of the car impressed me. The leather, the computerized dashboard, the detailing….. I felt like I was flying on a spaceship…. a really nice spaceship!

Antonio Bachour

Antonio Bachour

My desserts go hand in hand with the THE COLLECTION’s brand: luxurious, one of a kind…. that is how I view my desserts: like jewels.

Antonio Bachour

Antonio Bachour

WRE: How does owning and managing your own store compare to working at the numerous renowned resorts and restaurants you worked at before? Do you prefer one to the other?

AB: Owning a store is extremely different from working as a chef. Ownership and management comes with much more responsibility, as we have more than 150 families working in our stores today. But, having your own restaurant is much more rewarding than working at luxury hotels, as you get to see your passion and ideas come to fruition at every step of the way. Everyday I wake up extremely proud of my stores and the products we make for our customers.

Antonio Bachour

Everyday I wake up extremely proud of my stores and the products we make for our customers.

Antonio Bachour

Antonio Bachour

WRE: How did growing up in Puerto Rico influence your cooking/baking style?

AB: My childhood in Puerto Rico greatly influenced my cooking. I grew up eating lots of tropical fruits and these are one of the fundamental ingredients in the desserts at my pastry shops.

WRE: What would you say is your signature dish?

AB: The star dessert is the Gianduja. It was my first dessert that I made as a chef 27 years ago and I still have it on our menu. Its one of our best sellers!

Antonio Bachour

Antonio Bachour