The Sweet Taste of Success

They’re made of sugar and spice and everything nice. And, no, we’re not referring to little girls. We’re talking about the heavenly desserts created by pastry chef Hsing Chen.

After a short career in broadcast journalism, Chen followed her sweet tooth and apprenticed at her favorite French pastry shop and hasn’t looked back since. Chen, who counts chocolate confections, macarons, and St. Honores (a traditional French cake) as her favorite sweets, has since honed her craft at several high profile restaurants including Jean Georges, Country, and The French Laundry.

“I like working with desserts because it gives me the satisfaction of making a person feel like a child again,” she says.

Chen has now taken her love of all things sugary and founded Sweet Chick, a company that hosts cooking parties as well as creates customized dessert tables (think chocolate bars and bon bon shops) for weddings and corporate events.

“I decided to host dessert cooking parties to share my tips and tricks,” explains Chen. “These parties are social gatherings where people can meet new people, learn something new and have fun!” Indeed, at Chen’s classes, guests will learn to prepare tasty treats like summer tarts, petit fours, and chocolate truffles, or focus on a particular skill like cake decorating. Private dessert parties, which can be held in a commercial kitchen or in one’s home kitchen, can accommodate 8 to 10 people and cost $150 per person.

In addition to creating dessert tables for special events, Chen has also garnered acclaim for her elegant, custom-designed wedding cakes. The cost of the cakes depends on style and flavor, but generally ranges from $10 to $25 per person.

For more information on Sweet Chick or to place an order for a cake or dessert table, contact Hsing Chen at hsing@sweetchicknyc.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Sweet Chick

Lauren Shockey is a food writer who has contributed to publications including The New York Times Magazine, Gastronomica, Brides and ELLEgirl.