St. Paul Hmong Pastry Chef Marc Heu is Semifinalist for James Beard Award
February 5, 2024 | 1 min to read
Marc Heu, of Marc Heu Patisserie Paris in St. Paul, is nominated for a James Beard Award as an Outstanding Pastry Chef. Heu, a talented culinary star raised in French Guiana, expressed disbelief and gratitude for the recognition, reflecting on his humble beginnings. Initially encouraged by his farmer parents to pursue medicine, Heu discovered his passion for baking while in medical school, ultimately urged by his partner, Gaosong Heu, to follow his heart.
Marc Heu, of Marc Heu Patisserie Paris in St. Paul, is in contention for a James Beard Award. The French Guianan-raised Hmong culinary star is nominated for Outstanding Pastry Chef in one of the restaurant industry’s highest honors.
“I’m just shaking, and I have tears in my eyes. I just can’t still believe it,” Heu told MPR News. “You know, the little boy coming from the jungle. I mean, I’m just lucky enough to do what I love every day and to receive such an honor.”
Heu’s journey to pastry is far from straightforward. His farmer parents wanted him to be a doctor. While in medical school, Heu baked French pastries for friends on the side. But it was his partner, Gaosong Heu, who urged him to rethink his priorities.
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