Flavors Unknown

Bridging the Gap between Classic Pastry and Modern Trends by Alyssa Gangeri

Pastry Chef Alyssa Gangeri of Butter Milk Ranch | Nashville, TN

In today’s episode, I talk to pastry chef Alyssa Gangeri from Buttermilk Ranch in Nashville. She is a passionate pastry chef who has worked with the likes of certified master pastry chefs Frank Vollkommer and Antonio Bachour.
You’ll hear about her dedication to laminated pastry and how she bridges the gap between classic pastry and modern trends. She shares what she’s learned from her famous mentors, and her industry-shaking “cube” that’s created a new quick to-go concept in the breakfast sandwich world.

What you'll learn with pastry chef Alyssa Gangeri

Why Alyssa Gangeri loves laminated pastry (3:18)
What she learned from working with Frank Vollkommer (4:42)
What she learned from Antonio Bachour (6:51)
The many factors to consider when finding a recipe that works (8:26)
Why every croissant is unique (10:27)
The differences between a croissant you get in the US versus France (11:15)
The best compliment she can get (11:32)
Recent developments in the croissant world (13:19)
The traditionalists versus the modernists (14:15)
What the French do with day old croissants (16:10)
Pastry chef Alyssa Gangeri inspiration for creating Buttermilk Ranch (16:51)
How a croissant changes by the hour (17:40)
The story of Buttermilk Ranch (19:40)
Why bakeries are a dying breed (20:03)
The disconnect between pastry and restaurant menus (20:40)
The story of the “cube” (22:57)
How the cube tastes and why it works (27:40)
The evolution of this cubed sandwich (30:10)
Her global sources of inspiration (31:16)
The latest flavor obsession she’s experimenting with (33:15)
How she’s playing with flavor crystals (34:30)
The monster that Frank Vollkommer created (36:28)
What’s on the menu at Buttermilk Ranch (37:20)
What keeps the gelato fresh any time of day (39:06)
The seasonal dessert you can try at home (41:13)
How Alyssa Gangeri came up with the idea for her cookbooks (45:07)
Where to eat in Nashville (49:32)
Her guilty pleasure food (51:22)
Cookbooks to add to your shelf (51:50)
Pet peeves in the kitchen (52:34)
Link to the podcast episode on Apple Podcast

Links to other episodes in Tennessee

Interview with chef Kelly English

Conversation with chef Levon Wallace from Fatbelly Pretzels in Nashville

Conversation with chef Matt Bolus from the 404 Kitchen in Nashville

Links to most downloaded episodes (click on any picture to listen to the episode)

Download Alyssa Gangeri's cake recipe

Click here to download the Peach & Pecan Cake recipe

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No croissant, even if it's coming out of the same exact dough, is ever going to look exactly the same. They're all going to be slightly different and slightly unique, which I think is amazing. 

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Don't compromise on your product because ultimately, the moment you start compromising on your product, that's when the taste is going to become different. 

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I do know that some people are traditionalists and are going to be appalled by stuffing a croissant because ultimately, the whole beauty of a croissant is that cross-section.

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I really truly respect Asian pastry because the technique is so exquisite. And sometimes you don't need to mask things with a bunch of flavors. It's just the technique itself.

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