Global Gourmet is pleased to announce the recent addition to our staff of Yigit Pura as our new Executive Pastry Chef.
Growing up in Turkey, Yigit (rhymes with ‘sweet’) Pura was surrounded by the idea that the kitchen wasn’t a place for men. When his family moved to California, they encouraged him to attend business school, rather then pursue his culinary dreams. Determined, Yigit took a job at The Meetinghouse in San Francisco instead, where he worked for two years under chef and mentor Joanna Karlinsky. From The Meetinghouse he went on to work in several pastry kitchens in San Francisco including Postrio and Gary Danko.
Eager to explore the culinary world, Yigit moved to New York City in 2003 and landed in the famed kitchens of Le Cirque 2000 and the Four Seasons Hotel, working under Pastry Chef Luis Robledo-Richards. He moved on to Restaurant Daniel, working his way up to pastry sous chef before moving to Las Vegas to open Daniel Boulud Brasserie as executive pastry chef. Returning home to San Francisco, he joined Taste Catering & Event Planning as executive pastry chef in the spring of 2007.
Yigit then competed on the premiere season of Bravo’s “Top Chef Just Desserts,” and was crowned the winner and fan favorite. Since winning, Yigit has become an internationally recognized chef and eventually opened Tout Sweet Pâtisserie, a high-end pastry shop located in San Francisco’s Union Square, followed by a second location in Palo Alto’s Town and Country Village in 2014.
He has been featured on TV and in magazines and newspapers across the globe – including Food & Wine magazine, People magazine, Entertainment Weekly, “The Rachael Ray Show,” Time Out Istanbul, Vogue Turkey, BRAVO’s “Watch What Happens Live,” Sunset magazine, and OUT magazine – as well as on numerous national and international websites and blogs.
Bringing his expressive style, enthusiasm and passion for baking, Yigit has travelled extensively throughout the United States participating in various culinary events, cooking classes and speaking engagements. In 2011, Yigit was twice featured as the celebrity chef for President Obama was also featured as a Gala Chef at the 2011 James Beard Foundation Awards in New York and showcased at the world famous Annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival. In 2011, he was a presenter at the 2011 GLAAD Media Awards in San Francisco and was Celebrity Grand Marshal at the San Francisco Pride Celebration and Parade joining Academy Award-winning actress Olympia Dukakis and Chaz Bono.
Yigit continues to be an advocate for human rights and for those who are underserved, using his voice to raise money for non-profit organizations around the nation, including Human Rights Campaign, The Trevor Project, Meals On Wheels, the Matthew Shepard Foundation, Project Open Hand and ASPCA. He has received recognition and awards from the city of San Francisco, as well as the California Senate, for his efforts.
Yigit’s first cookbook with Chronicle Books – titled “Sweet Alchemy” – is available in-stores and online now. His goal with the book is to share his expertise of pastry-making in an exciting and accessible way.
As Global Gourmet Catering’s Executive Pastry Chef, Yigit enjoys challenging himself creatively to think outside the pastry box and feeding our clients in The Bay Area, one sweet bite at a time.
FAQs
After closing his Tout Sweet Patisseries, Top Chef: Just Desserts season one winner Yigit Pura has returned as the executive pastry chef of SF's Global Gourmet Catering.
Where is Yigit Pura from? ›
Growing up in Turkey, Yigit (rhymes with 'sweet') was surrounded by the idea that the kitchen wasn't a place for men. Eager to explore the culinary world, Yigit worked in the culinary markets of New York and San Francisco before winning the season premiere of Bravo's "Top Chef Just Desserts."
What happened to Seth from Top Chef Just Desserts? ›
He's had an anxiety attack and he's not going to be able to continue in the competition." The other contestants are worried about him, but relieved that he is gone. And then in the same episode, Malika Ameen, another contestant, also quit.
What happened to Morgan on Top Chef Just Desserts? ›
Wilson, who was a controversial and hot-tempered contestant on the Bravo show, prone to angry outbursts, was arrested last December after undercover investigators received file transfers from his computer that allegedly contained images and videos of children as young as toddlers engaged in sexual acts.
Where does Buddha from Top Chef work now? ›
The winner of “Top Chef” season 19 in Houston, Buddha Lo is the Executive Chef of Marky's Caviar, Huso restaurant in New York City.
Where is Chef Buddha from? ›
Lo was born in Australia to a Hongkonger father and Malaysian mother. He was raised in Port Douglas, along with his older brother, where his family owns a Chinese restaurant called the Jade Inn.
Who is the unibrow guy from Top Chef? ›
Hugh Acheson (born November 5, 1971) is a Canadian-born chef and restaurateur. He owns four restaurants in Georgia, and serves as a judge on the reality cooking competition show Top Chef, and as an Iron Chef on Iron Chef Canada.
Why was Top Chef Just Desserts cancelled? ›
In pretty much a fluff piece about the Top Chef brand and its infusion of "fresh ingredients" — it includes news that Bravo bravely passed on making Top Chef-branded Christmas ornaments and clogs — Variety writes that Top Chef Just Desserts "was canceled after the detail-oriented nature of the subject proved too ...
Who is the unibrow chef on Top Chef? ›
Hugh Acheson | Top Chef.
What happened to Ashley on Top Chef? ›
She was the chef at Branzino in Seattle when she was a competitor on season six of Bravo's hit TV show Top Chef. After the show, she returned to New York City and worked with Alex Guarnaschelli at Butter and The Darby before heading the kitchen at The Waverly Inn.
sara bradley hails from kentucky and is the chef and proprietor at freight house, a unique southern inspired restaurant and bourbon bar located in paducah, ky. chef sara grew up surrounded by strawberry fields and pit bbq in paducah, ky, eating elaborate meals with her family every night.
What is Hosea from Top Chef doing? ›
Boulder's lucky to be home to "Top Chef" Season 5 champion Hosea Rosenberg, whose restaurant, Blackbelly, is earning high praise from critics and locals alike. And whose newest venture, Santo, is a delicious take on the cuisine of Northern New Mexico.
What is Evelyn from Top Chef doing now? ›
During the pandemic, Garcia developed a line of packaged food products as she worked on launching her biggest project yet. In February 2023, Garcia and her business partner, Henry Lu, opened Jūn in the former Central Co-op space in the Heights.
Where is Stefan Top Chef now? ›
Chef Stefan Richter currently lives and works in Los Angeles at his three restaurants.
What is Dawn doing from Top Chef? ›
Most recently, she joined Chef Chris Williams' Lucille's Hospitality Group as Partner/Executive Chef and is currently working to open her first restaurant in Houston called Late August.
