Chef Francois Payard is one of the most highly regarded and critically acclaimed pastry chefs in the world. Hear him recount his culinary journey this week on Chef's Story. After moving to New York City in 1990 from traveling around Paris honing his skills in three-star Michelin rated pastry kitchens, chef François Payard began his New York City career at Le Bernardin and Restaurant Daniel where he earned recognition in the kitchen as the 1995 recipient of the James Beard Association "Pastry Chef of the Year" award, honoring him for his unique pastry designs and high attention to flavor. In 1997, Payard opened his first Pâtisserie and Bistro with Payard Pâtisserie and Bistro on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Currently, Payard has locations in Brazil, Japan, Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, and New York. Tune in and get to know the endearing French-born pastry mastermind on an insightful episode of Chef's Story. This program was sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

"Our business in pastry is almost like a florist. If you have two weddings at the same weekend, what can you do? You'll sleep 2-3 hours a night. During holiday's, you'll be in the basement baking!" [08:00]

"I think people used to understand that you have to pay your dues before you make it. The problem now is maybe the TV, it's changed the philosophy of people. They dream of being the Next Iron Chef but they forget that you need to pay your dues to get there. TV gives you the wrong image of things. What we do doesn't come easy. Most people spend 10 hours a day in the kitchen to be where they are right now." [25:00]

"A bakery is convivial. A pastry shop is something much more refined - where you find creations that you wouldn't find at a bakery." [35:00]

--chef Francois Payard on Chef's Story

Join Grace Bonney on another episode of After the Jump as she chats with acclaimed artist and illustrator Chris Silas Neal. Chris's work has been commisioned by a variety of magazines, book publishers and television. His first picture book, Over and Under the Snow, with author Kate Messner was praised for it's "stunning retro-style illustrations" (New York Times), was a 2011 New York Times's Editor's Choice and won an E.B. White Honor Award in 2012. Neal recently directed short animated videos for both Kate Spade and Anthropologie and was awarded a medal from the Society of Illustrators for his work in motion graphics. Neal exhibits drawings at various galleries and speaks at events across the country and abroad. He currently works and lives in Brooklyn and teaches Illustration at Pratt Institute. This program was sponsored by The International Culinary Center.

"When an illustrator is first starting out - most likely what they first do is replicate their heros and the work they are interested in." [17:45]

-- Chris Silas Neal on After the Jump

Alexandra "Alex" Guarnaschelli is an Iron Chef, Food Network celebrity chef and the world-renowned executive chef at both New York City's Butter restaurant and award-winning The Darby restaurant. She is also a television personality on the Food Network shows Chopped, Iron Chef America, All Star Family Cook-off and The Best Thing I Ever Made. She hosts Alex's Day Off and The Cooking Loft on Food Network and Cooking Channel In 2012, she was crowned America's Next Iron Chef on Iron Chef America, currently the only woman with that distinction and only the second female ever to obtain that honor. On this week's episode of Chef's Story, hear Alex's story - from growing up as the daughter of esteemed cookbook editor Maria Guarnaschelli to culinary education across the world, to eventually finding her own style in the kitchen. This program was sponsored by Fairway Market.

"Everybody has a culinary identity that they base on their childhood and the repertoire of dishes they were exposed to." [04:00]

"I do think a big part of defining your cooking is what you buy and where you buy it from" [39:00]

"I like competition shows because they show the human side of people - that they are fallible, make mistakes and they crave being a hero" [41:00]

--Alex Guarnaschelli on Chef's Story