Getting to master the art of pastry making for a living might seem like a sweet deal to most, but the amount of precision, inventiveness, and nerves required to do so can be easily overlooked. The executive head of pastry at London's storied department store Fortnum & Mason, British chef Roger Pizey has dedicated nearly half a century to nurturing all three inside some of the world's most influential restaurants. After a two-year training stint under French restaurateur Albert Roux at Mayfair's Le Gavroche, he joined the trailblazing Marco Pierre White (the first UK chef to be awarded three Michelin stars) behind the kitchen pass of his iconic restaurant, Harvey's, in the early 1990s, crafting desserts for the very eatery that, to cite The Good Food Guide, would go on to inspire "a new generation of chefs".
An award-winning pâtissier and author of two books, World's Best Cakes (2013) and Small Cakes (2011), Pizey is part of a British vanguard whose worldly-inspired, daring approach to cooking successfully reshaped the public perception of English cuisine around the world — as demonstrated by his triumph at the 1992 Egon Ronay Dessert of the Year award, which he earned with his reinterpretation of the Tarte Tatin. While it's undoubtedly his first love, Pizey's career wasn't constrained to the baking side of things, but also saw him take up head chef and executive head chef roles at establishments including London's opulent Criterion Restaurant and Marco Grill at Stamford Bridge, another one of Pierre White's hits, respectively.
At Fortnum & Mason since 2019, the chef's current and ambitious title follows further bakery experimentation at both Peyton & Byrne and Chelsea's Bluebird Restaurant. Known for his playfully imaginative, sculptural vision with which he infuses the sweet and savory creations that land on the tables of its Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, as well as for his numerous TV appearances in programs like Hell's Kitchen, Masterchef Ireland, Top Chef, and more, Pizey is here to help you make the most of your rainy afternoon baking sessions. How? Simply scroll to learn more about the one essential he uses to turn every cake into a treat you'll want more of, and the best cookware brands to know.
What Kitchen Essential Speaks Most to Your Craft?
A Classic Afternoon Tea courtesy of executive pastry chef Roger Pizey, as seen at Fortnum & Mason.
My palette knife is the crown jewel in my knife roll, the ultimate utensil for flattening out mousses, smoothing cheesecakes, and getting an even rise on bakes in the oven. It's also the tool that we use in the pastry kitchen for moving delicate patisserie from surface to surface, and gently lifting up cakes after they've been coated with mirror glaze. Not to mention, it's the key to crumb coating and smoothing icing on larger bakes for centerpieces at events. Among the options I have used in the best and I'd happily use again, the best one is probably the Silikomart Palette Knife that you can buy from Sous Chef — it doesn't have a ridge on it, which is always my preference for even finishes, but it means you have to work close to the surface. And here are some more.
The Victorinox collection is brilliant. This palette knife is angled, but it doesn't have a harsh ridge, so that you can get a slick finish. The Victorinox bread knives are also my go-to because they have curved but serrated edges, and they're optimal for cutting bread and tarts. The whole collection has beautiful wooden handles — I'm a big fan.
These are the best step-down palette knives made by Mallard Ferriere. We buy them from Home Chocolate Factory, which is the best supplier of all things pastry and chocolate.
This one has a stainless steel blade and a good width to it, so you can cover lots of surface when you're finishing a cake. The handles are really comfortable to use, and it's a trusty tool in my box.
If you're looking for something with a friendlier price tag, this one will do the job. It's a straight palette knife, which I much prefer, and comes with a good length for working on larger projects.
These Teknomek palette knives are good-looking for sure. They're slightly heavier to hold but are very robust when you put them through the dishwasher.
Last but not least, one from the Livingetc team. These three palette knives, carved from stainless steel, boast an ergonomic handle that will keep mistakes away, and are available in eye-catching shades.
When looking at a chef's success, it is easy to downplay the role that their trusted utensils play in allowing them not only to express, but also to refine, their creative flair. From José Pizarro's kitchen picks for enhancing Spanish cuisine's spices and herbal flavors to Ciccio Sultano's ceramic-based presentation of 'haute Sicilian gastronomy', Chef's Essentials is the ongoing Livingetc series that helps you step up your cooking game one item at a time, whatever kitchen essential it takes.
