Ann Lee
New York,NY
Summary
Food product development specialist with a strong foundation in culinary R&D, ingredient functionality, and precise formulation, supported by 3.5 years of administrative project management experience. Nearly 2 years of pastry kitchen experience in high-end NYC restaurants including Le Bernardin and Café Carmellini, with hands-on development of innovative desserts and multi-component products. Holds a B.S. in Biology, bringing scientific rigor to product testing, shelf-life evaluation, and documentation. Skilled in cross-functional collaboration with culinary, operations, and food safety teams to support concept testing, scale-up, and commercialization.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Pastry R&D / Pop-up Pastry Chef
Jeju-Inspired Pop-up & Event Series
New York, NY
09.2025 - 09.2025
- Independently developed and executed a multi-component entremet (Matcha Raspberry Strawberry), including mousse formulation, gelée stabilization, glaze consistency, and shelf stability for service.
- Led full R&D cycle: flavor ideation, prototyping, ingredient testing, textural optimization, and scaling for 50-100 guests.
- Developed two additional products (Mugwort Tiramisu, Lemon Tart) using functional ingredient understanding to balance texture, structure, and moisture migration.
Pastry Cook - Viennoiserie Lead
Fifth Avenue Hotel / Café Carmellini
New York, NY
05.2024 - 09.2025
- Managed daily production and quality control for laminated doughs and fillings, with emphasis on consistency, gluten development, and fat distribution.
- Collaborated with chefs to develop and test new items (seasonal danishes, signature croissants, flavored creams), optimizing formulations for flavor, structure, and service conditions.
- Maintained ingredient inventories, ensured workspace organization, and standardized production documentation for team-wide accuracy.
Pastry Extern
Le Bernardin
New York, NY
02.2024 - 04.2024
- Executed precise, high-consistency plating and production in a Michelin 3-star environment.
- Prepared gels, ice creams, sauces, and garnishes requiring controlled texture, temperature stability, and precise formulation.
Associate Manager
Korean Chamber of Commerce & Industry
New York, NY
06.2019 - 12.2022
- Managed multi-stakeholder communication, scheduling, and event operations across business and government partners.
- Streamlined workflows, maintained detailed documentation, and coordinated cross-functional projects-skills directly transferable to R&D project timelines and testing processes.
Education
Pastry & Baking Diploma -
Institute of Culinary Education
New York, NY01.2024
220 Hours Completed - Culinary Arts Program
Institute of Culinary Education
New York, NY01-2024
B.S. - Biology
Emory University
Atlanta, GA01.2014
Skills
- Food Product Development & Testing
- Formulation
- Ingredient Functionality
- Shelf Life Basics
- Sensory Evaluation
- R&D Documentation & Process Control
- Raw Material Assessment
- Vendor Coordination
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Recipe Standardization
- Costing
- Data Management
- Lab Equipment Familiarity
- Shelf Life & Quality Basics
- Microsoft Excel
- Google Sheets
- Basic HACCP/Sanitation Knowledge
- Formulation Scaling
- Yield Testing
- Vendor Communication
- Cost Tracking & Spec Sheets
- R&D Lab Organization
- Flavor Pairing & Concept Development
Timeline
Pastry R&D / Pop-up Pastry Chef
Jeju-Inspired Pop-up & Event Series
09.2025 - 09.2025
Pastry Cook - Viennoiserie Lead
Fifth Avenue Hotel / Café Carmellini
05.2024 - 09.2025
Pastry Extern
Le Bernardin
02.2024 - 04.2024
Associate Manager
Korean Chamber of Commerce & Industry
06.2019 - 12.2022
Pastry & Baking Diploma -
Institute of Culinary Education
220 Hours Completed - Culinary Arts Program
Institute of Culinary Education
B.S. - Biology
Emory University