Jacques Torres facts for kids
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Torres in 2025
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| Born | 14 June 1959 Algiers, French Algeria |
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| Spouse |
Hasty Khoei
(after 2007) |
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Current restaurant(s)
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Television show(s)
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Jacques Torres is a famous French pastry chef and chocolatier who lives in New York. He's known for his amazing chocolate creations! Jacques is also a big part of the International Culinary Center, where he teaches about pastry arts. You might even recognize him from the fun cooking show Nailed It!.
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Jacques Torres: From France to Chocolate King
Jacques Torres was born in Algiers, a city in North Africa. He grew up in Bandol, a small fishing village in the South of France. When Jacques was 15, he started learning how to make pastries at a local shop. He finished his training in just two years and was the best in his class!
In 1980, Jacques began working with a very famous chef named Jacques Maximin at the Hotel Negresco. While there, he also went to culinary school to earn a Master Pastry Chef degree. From 1983 to 1986, he taught pastry classes at a cooking school in Cannes. In 1986, Jacques achieved something incredible: he became the youngest person ever to win the "Meilleur Ouvrier Pâtissier de France" competition. This award means he was recognized as one of the best pastry chefs in France!
Moving to America and Opening Chocolate Shops
Jacques Torres moved to the United States in 1988. He first worked as the main pastry chef for the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company. Later, he joined a famous restaurant called Le Cirque, where he worked for 11 years as the Executive Pastry Chef.
In 1993, Jacques also started teaching at the International Culinary Center. He helped create their Classic Pastry Arts program in 1996. After that, he became the school's Dean of Pastry Arts, which means he was in charge of all the pastry programs.
In 2000, Jacques left Le Cirque to open his very own chocolate factory and shop in Brooklyn, New York. Today, there are eight Jacques Torres shops! These include a chocolate factory in the Brooklyn Army Terminal and an ice cream shop in Grand Central Terminal. In March 2017, Jacques opened New York City's first chocolate museum, called Choco-Story New York. This museum is about 5,000 square feet and is located at his main store in Manhattan.
Family Life
In 2007, Jacques Torres married Hasty Khoei, who is also a chocolatier. She used to work for him in his chocolate factory. Hasty also owned her own chocolate shop called Madame Chocolat in Beverly Hills, California.
Jacques and Hasty have two children. Their son, Pierre, was born on August 19, 2016. Their daughter, Jacqueline, was born on April 5, 2019. The Torres family lives in New York City.
Jacques Torres on TV
Jacques Torres has appeared on several television shows. He was a judge on Season 4 of Next Great Baker. He is also a judge and co-host on the popular cooking comedy show Nailed It!, where he works alongside Nicole Byer.
Amazing Achievements and Awards
Jacques Torres has received many important awards for his work. These include the James Beard Foundation Pastry Chef of the Year, the Meilleur Ouvrier de France, and the Chefs of America Pastry Chef of the Year. He is also a member of the Académie Culinaire de France, which is a group of top French chefs. In 2003, the James Beard Foundation added him to their "Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America." This means he is recognized as one of the most important people in the food world in America.
Jacques has also written two cookbooks called "Dessert Circus." He was the host of a Food Network TV show called Chocolate with Jacques Torres. In 2004, he opened another chocolate factory and shop in Manhattan, which he called Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven.
On May 13, 2010, Jacques Torres helped prepare a special dinner. He worked with other famous chefs from The International Culinary Center, like Jacques Pepin and Alain Sailhac. They made a fancy dinner for U.S. President Barack Obama at Manhattan's St. Regis Hotel.
Chocolate with Jacques Torres TV Show
Chocolate with Jacques Torres was a television cooking show hosted by Jacques Torres. It first aired on the Food Network in 2002. The show was filmed in both the United States and France, sometimes even in Jacques's home region of Provence.
The show focused on amazing desserts made with chocolate. Jacques would create incredible chocolate sculptures, centerpieces, and other edible art. He often showed viewers how they could use his techniques to make their own chocolate creations at home.
