Derek Poirier, Valrhona Pastry Chef North America, West Coast and 2014 Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America, brings his experience and skills honed in the top hotels of the US and Canada in his work with the French chocolate maker. He teaches and conducts demonstrations in restaurants, hotels and culinary schools throughout the US and Canada.
He also develops recipes and teaches master classes attended by an international array of pastry chefs who travel to Valrhona’s famed L’École located in Tain l’Hermitage in the wine region of France’s Rhone Valley. He has represented the U.S. and Canada in world pastry competitions, including in 2003 and 2005, as a member of Team USA at the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie in Lyon, France which brings together the top pastry chefs from 22 countries. He advised the Team USA chefs who were training for the 2009 and 2011 competition. A native of Vancouver, BC, he currently lives in Arizona.
