The unsung hero on many a successful restaurant's kitchen staff is the pastry chef. Understanding the science embedded in baking is a difficult subject for most chefs, but not for our nominees for Pastry Chef of the Year in the 2024 Tastemaker Awards.

These renowned pastry chefs have mastered the art of creating the perfect baked goods to accompany the best meals in Austin, from a delicious vegan sourdough focaccia, to a savory feuilette, to a mouthwatering Bakewell tart.

Our nominees' expert knowledge and their creatively decadent pastries are just a few of the many top-tier qualities that have our judges singing their praises time after time.

Find out who wins Pastry Chef of the Year on April 11 at the 2024 Tastemaker Awards party at Distribution Hall. We’ll dine on bites from this year’s nominated restaurants and sip cocktails from our sponsors before revealing the winners in our short and sweet ceremony.

You can keep up with all the Tastemaker Award nominees in a special editorial series, then be sure to buy your tickets to see who triumphs.

Here are the nominees for Pastry Chef of the Year:

Abby Love, Abby Jane Bakeshop
We're still raving about Abby Love's bakeshop three years after its opening. This industry veteran uses heirloom flours that were stone-milled onsite in all of her products. Sustainable, local ingredients are popular in Austin restaurants, but this level of commitment is rare. Whether it be a custom cake or a delicious savory danish, Love flawlessly does it all.

Amanda Rockman,New Waterloo
New Waterloo's Director of Culinary Projects Amanda Rockman says her superpower is her ability to make anyone like dessert. Austinites have been wowed by her numerous dining concepts, including former Tastemaker winner Maie Day. Most charming is Rockman's fondness for the informal (sprinkles!) even on an upscale table.

Andy and Jonty Scriven, The Great British Baking Company
This cozy bakeshop fills a unique void in Dripping Springs with its diverse assortment of savory hand pies and traditional British treats. Andy and Jonty Scriven are constantly developing new recipes for their patrons, which includes their most recent menu addition: a strawberry rhubarb Bostock topped with almond frangipane.

Courtney Mullin, Fabrik
Courtney Mullin doesn't need butter to bake at Fabrik,the 100 percent plant-based fine dining concept that opened in summer 2023. Her pastry efforts in elevating vegan cuisine are most noticeable in Fabrik's dessert offerings, which include a tiramisu and coffee maple ice cream, both of which would be dairy-heavy delicacies that she transforms with ease.

Hannah Smith
Pastry chef Hannah Smith ushered in a sweet new era for fine dining restaurant Tillie's in Dripping Springs in 2023, introducing her signature 12-layer Texas Honey Cake and a seasonal peach ice box pie. This nomination celebrates Smith's work at Tillie's, but we're also keeping an eye out for her next moves after going independent.

Jules Stoddart, Little Ola's Biscuits
Little Ola's made-from-scratch biscuits are a North Austin neighborhood staple, but they're just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding Jules Stoddart's artistry and passion for baking. Her impressive business savvy has ensured her bakes have reached as many people as possible, and her delicious, flaky pastries keep them coming back.

Julie Myrtille, Julie Myrtille Bakery
Julie Myrtille Bakery has an incredible lineup of cakes, tarts, sandwiches, and French pastries — a good excuse to try something new at every visit. Although Myrtille has a standalone shop in East Austin, you'll also find her baked goods at local farmers markets around town and at her newly opened Rose Bakery at the Arboretum.

Laura Sawicki, Oseyo
Upon joining the Oseyo team in 2023, Laura Sawicki developed a successful new pastry program that complements the Korean-American restaurant's timeless and traditional menu offerings. The savory-sweet roasted barley and honey ice cream and the banana milk gochugaru fudgscicle are just two of the many inventive sweet treats.

Margarita Kallas-Lee, Wolf and Wheat
A second recently opened bakery among our nominees this year is dessert shop and commissary Wolf and Wheat. This shop is the culmination of Margarita Kallas-Lee's greatest hits from her fine dining establishments, which include Pasta Bar and Sushi by Scratch. This makes hits like her famous sourdough loaves available for the first time without a reservation.

Sarah McIntosh, Épicerie
A masterful knowledge and appreciation for French-Louisiana cuisine is what brought fame to Épicerie owner and executive chef Sarah McIntosh. While she's well known for her to-die-for beignets, Austinites also love her spin-off dishes, like her limited edition brisket-filled croissants made in collaboration with barbecue legend Aaron Franklin.