Pastry chef: JOHN MCKEE

JOHN MCKEE
Executive Pastry Chef
Masa's Restaurant

A Bay Area native, John McKee grew up in Alameda, Calif., and has over 30 years' experience working with pastries and breads. McKee's interest in food began early in life. At the age of 16, he had a job delivering pizzas for a shop run by the former Westin St. Francis Hotel pastry chef, Romano Bonagure, and was inspired to pursue a career specifically focused on desserts.

"Romano told me that if I wanted to become a pastry chef I would have to go to school," recalled McKee. "There was a point when I realized everyone really loves dessert and I love the precision and creativity of pastry."

Heading the advice of his mentor, the young McKee promptly enrolled in the culinary program at City College, which was one of the premiere cooking schools at the time.

McKee's early career highlights included a position as a pastry cook at San Francisco's Westin St. Francis Hotel in 1979, as a consultant for Royal Cruise Line from 1991 to 1994, and 15 years as co-owner of La Seine Bakery in San Francisco beginning in 1983. La Seine's clientele included the Clift and Four Seasons hotels, conventions at the San Jose Convention center, and First and Business Classes at United Airlines and Air France. Personal La Seine highlights for McKee included baking for the President of France and creating petit fours for Jimmy Carter at the Democratic National Convention.

In 2000, McKee moved to Oregon to be with his daughter and joined Oritalia, an Asian/Mediterranean fine dining restaurant at The Westin in Portland.

"At Oritalia, I gained my first experience in a restaurant setting and I discovered how much I loved working on the presentation and appearance of my desserts."

McKee moved back to San Francisco in January of 2002 to consult with City Baking Company, which sells pastries to Peet's Coffee, and other highly regarded outlets. Many of Peet's preferred pastries, including their best-selling croissant, are based on original recipes from McKee. Following his work at City Baking Co., McKee spent two years as Executive Pastry Chef at Noe Valley Bread and Baking Company in San Francisco, where he was responsible for the creation of all pastry, cake and dessert selections.

In 2005, McKee became a Baking and Pastry Instructor at the California Culinary Academy where he taught classes in cakes, plated desserts, chocolate and pulled sugar.

McKee joined Masa's as Executive Pastry Chef in November 2007.

"I loved teaching and thought I would continue forever, but then the opportunity at Masa's presented itself. The reputation and prestige of the restaurant is unsurpassed. I can honestly say that Masa's is the only place for which I would have ever left teaching. I feel very proud of what we're accomplishing, and honored to be able to uphold the legacy of passionate and dedicated chefs that keep Masa's dream alive."