Published on 11/17/25

Chef Adam Bates

BIO

Adam Bates lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania along with his wife and daughters. He has worked as a pastry chef since 2013, and has held executive jobs in such places as New Zealand and New York City. He believes in melding an eye for detail with recipes that make the ingredient shine to create beautiful and delicious desserts.

Q&A

What inspired you to enter the world of pastry?

I have always been interested in art, and was convinced I would be a painter. I took a job at a small local bistro which made me fall in love with food. On a family trip to London, I saw real patisserie for the first time at Harrod’s Food Halls. I was finally able to merge my interests in visual art and food, and I have never looked back.

Where do you find inspiration for your creations?

In addition to pastry, I am also a keen hiker, photographer, and woodworker. Something like a wood grain, the lighting in a photograph, or a tree in the woods can spark my creativity. There’s nothing more inspiring than the natural world.

Who in your life has been the biggest mentor/inspiration in your career?

That would have to be my very first chef, Christopher Bonfili of Pittsburgh. He was the first one to show me what working with food is really about, and we have remained friends years later.

What Social Responsibility/Community initiative are you the most proud of taking part in?

Sustainability and reducing waste are both near to my heart. I want my team to always be conscious of how much is going in the trash, and minimize waste wherever possible

What are your hopes for the future of the world of food and pastry?

I hope that students entering the pastry profession in the United States can continue to expand their horizons and learn about the master patissiers of Europe, great restaurants around the world, and what makes every cultural cuisine unique. The best thing you can do for your education is to expose yourself to as many inspirations as possible.

What should the role of the food/pastry industry be in the community? The world? The environment?

As pastry chefs, we should always be conscious of where our ingredients are being sourced from, and of the living conditions of those we rely on to harvest our cacao, vanilla, etc. To that end, I applaud Valrhona for its commitment to fair labor practices, zero deforestation, and traceability.

What is your earliest dessert memory?

My mother would make peach pavlovas for summer parties at our house, with warm macerated peaches and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They are still my favorite dessert of all time.

If you could pass one bit of insight down to a chef just getting their start, what would it be?

Be proud of what you make, but always see the room for improvement. Nothing is perfect, and the moment you stop driving yourself to improve is the moment you are no longer a chef. If you enjoy the process, you will be happy to put on your apron each day.

What is your favorite perk of the Cercle V program?

Getting the opportunity to connect with pastry chefs and chocolatiers around the world - and the free samples!

When & how did you hear about Valrhona for the first time? / When & how did your “relationship” with Valrhona start?

For as long as I have been working in pastry, I understood that Valrhona makes the absolute best chocolate couvertures available. For any chef, it is a dream to work with top-quality ingredients. My first opportunity to use Valrhona products came while I was working at Blanket Bay lodge in New Zealand.

RAPID FIRE:

Celsius or Fahrenheit? Celsius, except for oven temperature. Ovens always in Fahrenheit.

Favorite Valrhona Chocolate? Azelia 35%

Favorite restaurant? Thespis in the Plaka section of Athens, Greece. My wife and I love it there.

Favorite flavor pairing with chocolate? Raspberry with dark, feuilletine with milk, matcha with white

Go to snack? Popcorn with chili salt!

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

Favorite kitchen tool? A good stick blender - preferably Bamix

Who do you follow on social media? Garuharu, Maxence Barbot, Stephane Leroux, Anne Coruble, Vincent Guerlais

Favorite type of dessert to make? To eat? Favorite to make would be an intricate petit gateau, with lots of garnishes, that stands out in a patisserie window. To eat, something simple, like a matcha soft-serve.