Pastry chef: JOHN MCKEE

JOHN MCKEE

A Bay area native, Executive Pastry Chef John McKee grew up in Alameda, CA and began his interest in pastries at an early age and has been making pastries and desserts for over 30 years.
           
“I began when I was 16 when I started learning how to bake from a Pastry Chef from the St. Francis hotel,” says McKee.  “Everyone really loves dessert.  And I love the precision of dessert and the creativity.”
           
McKee’s career has taken him around the United States including working at San Francisco’s St. Francis Hotel, Hyatt Hotels both in Michigan and San Francisco, and for 15 years he was part owner of Le Seine Bakery which was located on Chestnut Street in San Francisco, CA.
           
“We had such a great time over the years while in the Marina.  We did a great deal of wholesale sales to the major top hotels and restaurants around San Francisco as well as being a favorite in the neighborhood.”
           
For the past three years, McKee has been a Master Instructor at the California Culinary Academy.  “While I thoroughly enjoyed teaching, I am excited to be a part of the Masa’s team. Having been trained in the classic French tradition, I look forward to continuing with classic French dessert making but adding contemporary twists without limitations.”