Chef Chat: Why Austin’s Dee Dee Sanchez Takes Risks Every Day

Dee Dee Sanchez is the pastry chef at Jack Allen’s Kitchen in Austin, known for its local, seasonal ingredients and Southern flavors. Sanchez grew up in Lansing, Mich., helping her mother bake cookies and cakes for bake sales, and clearly the love of baking stuck.

Sanchez landed her current position by taking a risk. After moving to Austin, she heard about Jack Allen’s Kitchen opening and got an interview for the pastry chef position with co-owner Jack Gilmore. He asked her to bring desserts for a tasting but mentioned that he specifically did not like banana desserts. The next week, she brought him a dark chocolate truffle — and a banana toffee pie. He ate the whole thing, looked at her, and said, “Girl… You’re hired!”

We talked with Sanchez about the risks she’s taken and how she’s enjoying the sweet life. [pagebreak]

The Latin Kitchen: I loved your story about getting hired at Jack Allen’s after making Jack Gilmore a banana toffee pie. How else has taking risks influenced your career or your life?

Dee Dee Sanchez: I think taking risks is good if you’re ready for some change and feel that it’s necessary for growth. I took a big risk by moving away from my family, who I am so close with, in 1996, to go to Denver, Colo. There, I did a lot of growing up, went to culinary school and earned a B.A. at the Art Institute of Colorado in 2004. I basically found my path in life. I then took another risk by moving to Austin, Texas, in 2007. I left one of the best bakeries in Denver called Gateaux Specialty Cakes and Pastries after earning the top position after working there for a year. I now have worked for Jack Allen’s Kitchen since it opened in 2009.

TLK: Do you take culinary risks with customers too? What’s your approach to the dessert menu?

DDS: I do take culinary risks with customers by offering interesting desserts. I like to take classic desserts and add my own swirl to them! I recently made a butternut cheesecake bar that had freshly roasted squash from a local farm that we use frequently. [pagebreak]

TLK: How did you first learn to bake, and what drew you to baking initially?

DDS: My mother taught me how to bake at a young age. Our family holidays were always focused around great food and wonderful desserts. Everything was always made from scratch. I believe the first thing she taught me how to do was to roll out Christmas cookies. My brother and sisters and I would cut them out into fun shapes, bake and ice them.

TLK: You grew up in Michigan and now you’re living in a very different climate here in Austin. Are your desserts and pastries influenced by climate, the seasons, what’s available locally, and the local culture, or is it more about pairing dessert flavors with the dinner menu?

DDS: It is a very different climate here in Austin. It’s so hot, and I’m still trying to get used to the heat. My desserts are very much influenced by the seasons. In the summer, I love to make giant cookies filled with ice cream to make a great ice cream sammy. I love to see what the farmers have at the market, and that definitely influences what I make. Cobblers are very popular at the restaurants and I usually only use Texas fruit. I use berries in the spring and summer, peaches also in the summer and apples in the fall. On occasion, the Oak Hill location will have paired dinners with spirits and wine, and then I create a dessert that matches a cocktail or wine and flows well with the rest of the courses. [pagebreak]

TLK: How does your Latina heritage influence your approach?

DDS: Here, it all comes back to family for me. Food and celebrating go hand in hand. I once watched my grandmother whip a meringue for pie by hand. I was completely amazed! My grandfather was also a bread baker by trade. I guess baking is in my blood!

TLK: Do you still cook and bake for fun? What’s your go-to?

DDS: Yes, I do bake for fun. My go-to would have to be a basic chocolate chip cookie. But I love making iced sugar cookies as well.

TLK: Anything new on the horizon for you?

DDS: The restaurant will be opening a fourth location in the Spring of 2017, so I will be working at all four locations. I am going to continue to create new recipes and make delicious treats for everyone to enjoy.