Save Room For Dessert With Benjamin Grue Of Benoit

Alain Ducasse's Midtown Manhattan French bistro, Benoit, has been a staple of the neighborhood for years. They're serving classic French cuisine in a classy setting to business lunch-goers and the tourists coming from Central Park. 

Pastry chef Benjamin Grue has barely had time to catch his breath since he moved to the states from France. A native of the French Alps, Grue went to culinary school in France and began his career as a savory cook in Provence. He eventually felt himself being drawn to the local pâtisseries and boulangeries. After spending part of 2013 in Chicago, he landed in New York, and Benoit, earlier in 2014. 

His desserts are exactly what you'd imagine — classic French with a heavy hand of fruit. He's perfected mille-feuille. "The airiness of the puff pastry, flaky and perfectly colored, so delicate that it melts in your mouth," Grue says of his mille-feuille. His fig tart is one of the most popular items on the menu.

Crust

The crust is cooked with an almond cream filling then topped with a vanilla cream.

Layering Figs

The fig tart is made with fresh Black Mission figs.

Click here to see more photos of Benjamin Grue at work in the Benoit kitchen.

Jane Bruce is the Photo Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @janeebruce.