A few kilos of chocolate went up the chimney, but it was worth it: Štangl's pastry chef Sabina Keltner on pralines and more
Tasting dinner at the Michelin-starred restaurant Štangl
Sabina, let's go back to your beginnings. How did you get into confectionery? You originally studied chemistry, which is a whole different world. Did you have a relationship with baking from a young age?
I got into baking in high school, when I started cooking and baking at home, but it wasn't really a big deal. The turning point was when I graduated, and Covid came. Everyone was home, baking bread, and that's when it really took off for me. But it didn't really break until I was on MasterChef. That's when I realised I didn't want to be locked in a lab. That my place was elsewhere.
So you weren't planning on combining science and pastry?
Chemistry was more of a back door, a safety net that I could always come back to. Catering seemed out of reach. I had great respect for it and a feeling that you couldn't just become a pastry chef. I didn't believe I could do it professionally.
How long were you baking at home before you thought of applying for MasterChef?
About a year. I set up an instagram profilewhere I posted pictures for like 100 people to follow. In retrospect, I realised they were pretty terrible creations, so I deleted them. (laughs) After a year, I entered the contest. Today I wonder where I got the courage, but somehow it all fell into place.
MasterChef is a complex competition. Was it more about cooking or baking for you?
It was more about cooking. I even went in with that, that I'm more interested in cooking. Ironically, the only episode I really enjoyed was the one where I was baking a cake. It wasn't until I got there that I realised: this is my way.
How did you handle the media attention? You had tens of thousands of people watching you at once.
Luckily, I was out there acting like a nice character, so I missed the hits. No one wrote me up for being horrible. (laughs) It was a good experience and we had a lot of fun, and I came through all the hype unscathed.
From part-time to Michelin precision
What happened when the cameras went off?
I told myself that I would take a year off from college, which I was studying remotely, find a part-time job in the catering industry and then we would see. I wanted to go to a pastry shop called Sorry, we bake differently in Brno, but it didn't work out. Then I saw on Instagram that the Myšák pastry shop is looking for a pastry assistant. I figured I could do that. I wrote to the head pastry chef, Luke Pohl, and he took me on, even though I had no experience, just what I'd done at home.
What were your beginnings in a professional pastry shop?
It was great at Myšák. Lukas and the whole team were very nice, they explained everything to me calmly, nobody was pushing me around. I started with mini desserts, helped the bakers and gradually worked my way up to real pastry - cake assembly, decorating, icing. I was supposed to "hide" there for a year while I decided what to do next with school, but I ended up staying.
You went from Myšák to Eska. Why the change?
At Eska I loved being a guest. I was having breakfast there one day, and I figured, that this is where I wanted to work. Myšák was a great school of classics, techniques and creams, but I wanted to try something different. Eska is a living organism - bakers, chefs, baristas, sommeliers. The hustle and bustle and the amount of people were energising for me.
And then there was Štangl. You went straight in as head pastry chef?
Yes, and it was like a spur of the moment thing, because I was already looking for a change at Eska. I wanted to move on again. For Štangl I'm very grateful - to have a pastry chef in a finedining restaurant isn't exactly common in the Czech Republic. There are only six of us in the kitchen along with chef Martin Stangl. I find it great that they "sacrificed" one place for a pastry chef instead of hiring another chef.
You've more or less got a free hand here. Is that a big difference from previous establishments, where the menu is clearly defined?
Big. The first recipes were created by Martin and the chefs, and they let me make the so-called petit fours. (ed. note: small sweets with coffee). I got a lot of help from my colleague Omar, from whom I learned how to think about desserts. Now I make my own desserts and let the season guide me. I choose one ingredient and I make a bunch of components - that's kind of my signature.
Alchemy with chocolate
At Štangl you started to focus a lot on chocolate. Did you have to learn new techniques?
Absolutely. I went from only knowing chocolate in cookies, with exact instructions for tempering. At Štangl, we work with Herůfek Chocolate Factory. When we went there, Mr. Herůfek gave me a ten-pound block of raw chocolate. It behaves completely differently, it crumbles, but the taste is incredible.
That sounds like a challenge. What were your beginnings with pralines?
Honestly? It was a disaster at first. I poured, like, 90 truffles and never got a single one out of the mould. I remember crying at work. A couple of kilos of good chocolate went up the chimney, but... in retrospect, I know it was worth it.. I studied a lot, I talked to Mr. Herůfek and Luke, and I learned from my mistakes.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to get into truffles?
Patience. Nothing can be rushed. With raw chocolate, it's not enough just to watch the thermometer. It often showed me the right temperature, but it was visually obvious that the chocolate wasn't ready. You have to "feel" the mass, even though it may sound like a cliché. And of course, cleanliness is essential - the moulds must be perfectly polished.
Do you use any special equipment for this?
I have an airbrush for painting which makes the pralines beautiful. And my little rituals. I need a specific chocolate bowl, my thermometer and my system. Once I don't have my favourite bowl, I'm uncomfortable. I'm comfortable with routines and rules, maybe that's why I'm making candy and not cooking. I'm a bit obsessive about it. (laughs)
About unusual flavours and nut leaves
Can you think of any pralines that surprised guests a lot?
I made truffles right out of the gate with a citrus-soy sauce ponzu. It was kind of a love-hate relationship. Some people didn't like it at all, but Mr. Karpisek (editor's note: founder of Ambiente) ...he loved it, which made me happy. Recently, I was preparing tangerine, matcha or gingerbread for the Ademi café in Dejvice. That was super fun, I like to go off the beaten path sometimes.
You serve the desserts yourself at Štangl, don't you?
Yeah, sometimes we all go "on set" from the kitchen. I like the direct contact with the guests. We recently had a plum dessert with walnut leaves. One of the guests laughed and said, "Who thought of that crap?" And I was standing there going, "That was me." It was funny. I take moments like that in stride.
What's next for you in confectionery?
I'd like to learn the perfect laminated pastry, like, for croissants. And I'd like to go on an internship and broaden my horizons.
Where does the head pastry chef go for sweets on her days off?
My favourite is the whipped cream roll at Antonin's Bakery. It's delicious! They have great stuff at Votre Plaisir and I love the Crème de la Crème ice cream, especially the dark chocolate with cherries.
How do you relax so you don't go crazy with your busy work?
The thing that helps me the most is yoga. Working in the kitchen is really mentally demanding and yoga keeps me calm. Also I do ceramics - I like to create with my hands outside the kitchen. And even though I'm an introvert, I don't like to be alone at home, so I often just wander outside and observe the world.
