Claudia Fleming facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Claudia Fleming
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Fleming in 2021
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Notable work
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The Last Course |
| Spouse(s) | Gerry Hayden |
Claudia Fleming (born 1958/1959) is a famous American dessert chef. She grew up in Long Island, New York. At first, she dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer. However, she later became a professional chef, specializing in delicious desserts.
She wrote a popular cookbook called The Last Course. This book became very well-known and received great reviews. You might have seen Claudia Fleming on TV shows like Beat Bobby Flay, Chopped, Barefoot Contessa, and Top Chef: Just Desserts.
Contents
Claudia Fleming's Early Life
Claudia Fleming was born in 1958 or 1959 and grew up on Long Island, New York. When she was a child, her biggest dream was to be a ballet dancer. But by the time she was 18, she realized she wasn't quite tall or thin enough for traditional ballet. She also found the strict rules of ballet difficult.
So, she moved to New York City. She hoped to become a modern dancer by age 25. To support herself during this time, she started working in restaurants. This was the beginning of her amazing journey in the food world!
How Claudia Fleming Started Her Career
One of Claudia's first jobs was as a waiter at a restaurant called Union Square Cafe. The owner, Danny Meyer, was very impressed by her. He even said he hired her before she even sat down for the interview! He felt her "warmth, poise, and intelligence" right away.
Claudia didn't stay a waiter for long. She moved on to cooking on the line in the kitchen. Then, she found a job as a pastry assistant at Tribeca Grill. This is where she discovered her true passion! Claudia said, "once I tried a pastry, that was it for me... I was hooked."
In 2000, Claudia Fleming won a big award. She received the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Pastry Chef award. This is a huge honor in the cooking world!
Her Famous Cookbook: The Last Course
Claudia Fleming released her first cookbook, The Last Course, in 2001. At first, the book didn't sell very well. This was mainly because it came out right after the September 11 attacks, which was a very difficult time.
However, professional chefs loved the book. It slowly started to gain a special group of fans. Bon Appétit magazine even called it "the greatest dessert cookbook in the history of the world"! When the book was no longer being printed, used copies became very expensive online, sometimes selling for hundreds of dollars. Because it was so popular, the book was printed again in the fall of 2019.
What Makes Her Recipes Special?
Claudia Fleming's recipes are known for being somewhat easy to follow. Newsday newspaper said her cookbook is "a great present for an ambitious baker." They noted that her recipes might take some time and have many steps, but they aren't necessarily hard to do.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution pointed out that her recipes are organized by main ingredients. They praised her Guinness Stout Ginger Cake. They said it was "fun to make, fun to eat, and, like the rest of the book, as stylish as it is timeless."
Claudia Fleming's Personal Life
In 2001, Claudia Fleming married Gerry Hayden. He is also a professional chef and used to be her boss at Tribeca Grill. In 2005, they moved back to the North Fork area of Long Island. In 2010, they even started a food truck together!
