Chef of the Week: Chef Eric Wolitzky, Baking with Heart and Heritage
For Eric Wolitzky, baking wasn’t just a career choice — it was a legacy waiting to be embraced. Growing up in a family of New York bakers, his earliest memories are sweet and sentimental: cream puffs on his mother’s lap and holiday tables overflowing with homemade cakes. Though he initially pursued the arts with degrees from NYU, the pull of the pastry kitchen proved irresistible.
Today, as Executive Pastry Chef for Fifth Group Restaurants in Atlanta, Eric brings a deeply personal, flavor-first philosophy to the table — one grounded in balance, nostalgia, and the traditions of European cafés. From humble banana pudding to a reimagined Austrian Bee Sting Cake, his desserts bridge the comforting and the creative, always with an eye on seasonality and soul.
Whether he’s leading teams across multiple restaurant concepts, obsessing over a single sponge recipe, or quietly championing old-world pastry technique in a world driven by trends, Eric’s approach is as thoughtful as it is delicious.
1. What first drew you to baking and pastry arts? Was there a formative moment or influence that set you on this path?
I come from a long line of New York bakers and began working in bakeries in my teens. But for a long time, I resisted that path. I earned a BFA and MA from NYU and genuinely tried to do everything else. Still, the pastry bug wouldn’t let go — it was definitely in my blood. My earliest memory is sitting on my mother’s lap eating a giant cream puff. Our holiday tables were filled with comforting, homemade cakes. That emotional connection to baking stuck with me.
2. Did you always know you wanted to focus on pastry, or did that passion develop over time?
I originally wanted to be an actor or writer, but I craved more immediate creative satisfaction than art could offer me. Pastry provided that outlet. I could walk into a kitchen and create something beautiful, expressive, and delicious that same day. That sense of immediacy was incredibly appealing and eventually led me to pursue a culinary degree.
3. You’re a graduate of the French Culinary Institute… How important is culinary school for success in pastry?
If you’re a pastry nerd like me, and you fantasize about learning as many techniques as possible, then culinary school can be a dream. I made friends for life there. But I don’t think it’s essential for success today. A formal education won’t necessarily get you a job. What matters more is working under the right chefs who are willing to teach and mentor. You can learn so much on the job if you’re hungry for it.
My team is everything. Their growth, creativity, and curiosity are at the core of how I lead. I care deeply about their education — not just in technique, but in building confidence, and voice. I strive for them to experiment, speak up, and get better every day. Watching someone step into their own as a pastry chef — there’s nothing more rewarding.
4. You’ve worked in both high-end restaurants and on television. How have those experiences shaped your approach to dessert?
Both environments taught me how to create in the moment, using whatever resources are available. You learn to trust your instincts, act fast, and pull from your own inspirations — something more internal. That mindset actually goes back to my NYU days: technique comes first, but then you must draw from personal experience to make something meaningful. My love for pastry was never about sugar art or chocolate sculptures. It was always about home, hearth, and a connection to European roots.
5. As Executive Pastry Chef for Fifth Group Restaurants, how do you approach dessert development across multiple concepts?
Each restaurant starts with a clear identity. We define the cuisine, the region, and then go deeper. For example, Lure is coastal seafood, but the desserts explore tropical flavors and whimsical touches. Once I have that framework, I know what sandbox I’m playing in.
Just as important: I always consider what’s possible in each unit. What’s the budget? What tools are on hand? Who’s plating the dessert? Who’s making it? What will they connect with? These factors are often overlooked, but they’re critical to creating something that works and lasts.
6. Are there any desserts that have become runaway hits across multiple restaurants?
Definitely. That ties back to understanding your city. Atlanta diners aren’t the same as New York diners. People respond to desserts that trigger childhood memories or cultural comfort. We sell a lot of banana pudding and cheesecake. But some surprises have been big hits too:
- My Southern Angel Pie — layers of pate brisee, caramel, meringue, chocolate mousse, and whipped cream
- Boccone Dolce at La Tavola — a giant brown sugar meringue filled with curd, seasonal sorbet, and white chocolate whipped ganache
7. Have you ever created a dessert you thought would be niche, but it became a guest favorite?
Yes! The Bee Sting Cake at Ecco. German and Austrian pastries are a personal obsession of mine. They aren’t overly sweet, they have history, and they aren’t overly fussy.
Traditionally, Bee Sting Cake is brioche filled with cream and topped with an almond crown. I reimagined it with sponge cake soaked in a lavender honey syrup, Bavarian cream, white wine caramel, and almond Florentine. It’s familiar and comforting, but also fresh and intriguing. It really took off.
8. How would you describe your dessert philosophy?
At heart, I’ll always be a baker, even though I’ve worked primarily as a pastry chef. My inspiration comes from family, nostalgia, and the coffee houses of Vienna. I’m always chasing flavor first. I usually begin a new dessert with one star component and obsessively test it until it’s just right. Then I build the rest around it.
Balance is everything. I avoid anything too sweet. And I care deeply about seasonality. I’d change the menus more often if I could, but overseeing multiple units makes that tricky. Still, I push for seasonal touches wherever possible — even if I drive the marketing team crazy.
9. What’s your process when testing a new dish?
My pastry chefs will tell you I get a little intense during testing. I’ll make one component ten different ways if I think it could be better. But I also know when to walk away. Some of my best desserts have come together quickly, and if a dish isn’t hitting the right notes after a few tries, I move on.
10. What current dessert trends excite you, and which do you think are overhyped?
I think we rely too much on social media inspiration. It’s a fantastic jumping-off point, but it can’t replace instinct or genuine curiosity. What excites me is good old-fashioned hard work. There’s still artistry in pastry, and developing that takes time and focus. I’m more excited by someone quietly refining their technique than I am by the next viral swirl.
13. What’s one dessert you’re especially proud of?
My version of Kardinalschnitte, or Cardinal Slice. It’s traditionally alternating stripes of meringue and sponge, and I adapted it into a plated dessert: sponge and meringue layered with freeze-dried strawberry whipped cream, roasted vanilla strawberries, a rhubarb-Champagne sauce, and cardamom cake croutons. It was built to order and perfect for spring and summer.
15. Do you have a go-to dessert you make at home?
Absolutely. My peanut butter layer cake with milk chocolate frosting. It’s nostalgic, comforting, and always a crowd-pleaser. And at home, no one seems to mind the peanuts.
16. What advice would you give aspiring pastry chefs?
Pastry and baking as a career may be fading in some parts of the U.S., but that makes it even more important to stay committed. Don’t rely on trends. Work hard. Stay curious. And don’t play the victim when pastry isn’t valued the way it should be. Keep showing up and proving what you bring to the table.
17. Looking ahead, is there a new direction or technique you’re excited to explore?
Lately I’ve been obsessed with yeasted sweet buns and exploring ways to turn them into proper plated desserts. Does that count? Probably not. But honestly, if there’s a rabbit hole to fall down, I’ll find a way to fill it with pastry — and then test it a dozen times just to make sure it’s worth it.
Chef Eric Wolitzky
Fifth Group Restaurants
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