Chef Dominique Ansel is the Chef/Owner of the celebrated Dominique Ansel Bakery, which opened in New York City’s Soho neighborhood in November of 2011, and Dominique Ansel Kitchen, his new made-to-order bakery that launched in the West Village in April 2015. Chef Dominique opened his first shop outside of the U.S. in June 2015 with Dominique Ansel Bakery Japan in Tokyo’s Omotesando neighborhood, and then in July 2015, he launched U.P. (short for “Unlimited Possibilities”), his after-hours tasting table hidden within the 2nd floor of Dominique Ansel Kitchen. Perhaps what has most widely been reported is the Chef’s creation of the Cronut®, a croissant and doughnut hybrid that TIME magazine named one of the “Best Inventions of 2013.” In 2014, Chef Dominique was awarded the James Beard Award for “Outstanding Pastry Chef” in the nation, and in June 2015, he was bestowed the prestigious Ordre du Mérite Agricole award, one of the highest honors in France, for his dedicated to promotion French cuisine and culture.