Meet Sofia Schlieben, the Executive Pastry Chef for JF Restaurants. Born and raised on the Upper West Side of New York City, from an early age, Sofia was fascinated by the world of baking, and her passion for pastry led her to pursue a career in the culinary arts. She has interned with the esteemed pastry chef at Jean Georges and later earned herself a Chocolatier position at Chef Thomas Keller’s renowned three-Michelin-star restaurant, Per Se. Today she is taking the dessert world by storm with her creativity and passion.

Your journey has included positions at some of New York’s most iconic establishments. How have those experiences across places like Jean Georges, Per Se, and now JF Restaurants influenced your approach to creating desserts that resonate with guests?

I was fortunate to grow professionally in some of New York City’s finest restaurants. This journey taught me how to do things right at every stage, with a focus on meticulous attention to detail. I often tell people that the most important thing I learned at Jean Georges was how to wrap a sheet tray—and what truly exceptional food tastes like. Being surrounded by people who are wholly committed to their craft and at the top of their game was invaluable. Fine dining, to me, is about respecting ingredients: knowing when to transform them and having the restraint to let their natural qualities shine. Guests appreciate a perfectly ripe, seasonal strawberry just as much as a vanilla ice cream that’s been through hours of testing and refinement.

Seasonal ingredients play a significant role in pastry innovation. How do you incorporate seasonal flavors into your desserts, and are there any local ingredients that particularly inspire your creations?

Seasonality is central to the work we do in most of our restaurants, aligning perfectly with our commitment to local and sustainable cooking. Produce and fruit are always at their best when they’re as fresh as possible. Growing up in the Northeast, I have a soft spot for ingredients like Tri-Star strawberries, Concord grapes, and golden sweet corn—things that have a limited season but can be enjoyed at their sweetest and freshest when they’re at their peak.

JF Restaurants are known for their unique atmospheres and thoughtful dining experiences. How does the ambiance of each restaurant guide or complement your dessert designs?

Being a pastry chef is a lot like being a chameleon. You’re there at the beginning and the end of each meal, yet you’re not the one steering the dining experience. My role is to introduce guests to the menu with a bread that captures the restaurant’s energy, and then to say goodbye with a dessert that perfectly complements the meal. The variety of concepts across JF Restaurants is one of my favorite parts of working here. If I have three different ideas for rhubarb, I can explore each one, tailoring them to match the unique character of each restaurant.

Balancing creativity with consistency can be challenging in pastry. How do you ensure each dessert captures the innovative flair you’re known for while maintaining the impeccable quality that’s expected?

This is one of the hardest parts of my job: finding a balance between full creativity that truly reflects my vision and a deep understanding of operations. Consistency is incredibly important, as the experience of your least happy guest often defines how you’re judged. Deciding which techniques are essential and figuring out how to train my team to execute and notice details as I do are vital in my role as both a creator and mentor.

Is there a particular dessert that you consider your signature creation? What inspired you to develop it, and how has it evolved?

I’d say cheesecake is probably my signature. We serve different cheesecakes at various locations, and I’m not sure if it’s because it’s my favorite dessert or because it’s what I always asked my parents to make. At Vermillion, we offer a classic New York-style cheesecake on a brown butter graham crumble, topped with strawberries and blossoms. At North Fork Table, we feature a rotating vegetal cheesecake inspired by seasonality and what we can source from neighboring farms. A favorite there is a pea and goat cheese cheesecake served with lemon biscotti crumble and lemon curd. At La Marchande, we serve a pumpkin sticky toffee pudding with cheesecake ice cream. I think I just love the tang and texture of sweetened cream cheese.

What’s one ingredient or technique you’re currently experimenting with that excites you, especially as you evolve the pastry program across JF Restaurants?

I’ve been diving back into chocolate work recently. During my time at Per Se, I spent a year as the chocolatier, and I’ve always found chocolate to be a fun yet highly technical medium. Across our different programs, I’ve started incorporating more tempered chocolate elements. It’s a fantastic way to challenge and develop my team’s skills.

Looking ahead, are there any new pastry projects or menu concepts you’re excited to introduce? 

Looking ahead, what I see mostly is holidays! I’m about to be very busy through Valentine’s Day. The holiday season is a wonderful opportunity to introduce our restaurants to guests who may not have visited before. At Vermillion, we’ll be featuring our Stout Sticky Toffee Pudding with whipped Grand Marnier cream and candied pecans—a beautiful, family-style dessert that’s perfect for the season.