The New York Times referred to Hedy Goldsmith’s desserts as "strikingly beautiful, but not contrived, marvels of texture and balance." And it is that exacting artistry that has won her continued praise from both industry professionals and the public.
After beginning her career in New York, Goldsmith first attracted industry notice as pastry chef for Mark Militello’s celebrated Mark’s Place restaurant in North Miami in the early 1990s. From there, she moved onto Nemo and Shoji Sushi, two South Beach restaurants owned by rising chef Michael Schwartz. A great friendship and mutual respect began to grow. Schwartz moved on to other projects, while Goldsmith stayed on, adding Prime 112 to the roster of restaurants for whom she created desserts. In 2006, looking for a break from the daily grind of the restaurant kitchen, Goldsmith began focusing on projects of passion: developing a line of sweet and savory retail and wholesale products that would carry her name. She also began consulting, working with national restaurant groups and pitching in to help Schwartz shortly after he opened his new Miami Design District restaurant, Michael’ s Genuine Food & Drink. The renewed synergy was undeniable; Goldsmith is now creating inspirational desserts at Michael’s Genuine as the restaurant’s executive pastry chef.
Locally, and nationally, Goldsmith is known for her unabashed creativity and unique flavors. Her menu at Michael’s Genuine spotlights seasonal ingredients. Standouts include candied Granny Smith apple and walnut streusel panini with crème fraiche and caramel sauce, tangerine pot de crème with pistachio baklava and tangerine cardamom confit, key lime cheesecake flan with macadamia short bread, tropical fruit salsa and passion fruit coulis, chocolate cremoso, with sea salt, olive oil, sour dough crostini and espresso parfait and pear and cardamom granita with pistachio pomegranate biscotti.
A Philadelphia native, Goldsmith received her B.A. in Photography and Film from the Philadelphia College of Art. Afterwards, she attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York, graduating with honors from the CIA’s first Baking & Pastry class in 1985. She also studied at the International Pastry Arts Center in Bedford Hills, New York, where she refined her skills by concentrating on the study of chocolate, sugar and presentation.
Goldsmith has appeared on a number of television shows, including Food Network’s Iron Chef (winning with Michelle Bernstein against Bobby Flay); Public Television’s Great Chefs series and Fox News. She has been featured in publications such as Food & Wine, Gourmet, The New York Times, Bon Appétit and the Miami Herald; and has had her recipes published in cookbooks.
