Pastry Chef Jean-Rony Fougère’s culinary journey began in 1983 in Haiti, where, at just five years old, he was introduced to the craft by his cousin. After relocating to Brooklyn three years later, his natural talent flourished; by age thirteen, he had already completed his first professional cake decorating course.
While still in high school, Fougère was catering for high-profile clients and organizations, including Sotheby’s and the Office of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. His breakthrough came in 1996 when his innovative cheesecake tart earned an honorable mention at the National Salon Food Show. This achievement caught the eye of C-CAP founder Richard Grausman, securing Fougère a prestigious internship at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel under the mentorship of masters Michael Hu, Jean-Claude Perennou, and Gnanasampanthan Sabaratnam.
Fougère’s career is defined by excellence at world-class institutions. After refining his skills at Aquavit under Deborah Racicot, he was hand-selected by Marcus Samuelsson to represent the U.S. Pastry Team in Lyon, France, where the team secured a third-place finish at the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie. From launching the pastry department at SoHo House NYC to establishing the program at D.C.’s OYA with chef Kingsley John, Fougère has consistently set the standard for luxury desserts.
His signature style balances classic French technique with American comfort, often punctuated by unexpected global flavors. Whether it’s a cardamom-infused chocolate mousse, a rum-soaked Baby Pineapple Baked Alaska, or his popular Banana Bread Pudding made with fresh-baked croissants, his creations are as balanced as they are inventive. One of his most celebrated signature desserts remains a fresh berry sauté in balsamic syrup, served with a delicate fromage-blanc sorbet.
In 2009, Chef Fougère expanded his repertoire to include education, teaching cake decorating classes that inspired adults to pursue new careers and hobbies. He continued this path until 2015, when he joined Chef Tim Oltmans at Jack the Horse Tavern in downtown Brooklyn. There, he managed the pastry program while simultaneously growing his reputation as a sought-after consultant.
In 2020, in response to the changing landscape of the hospitality industry, he launched Fougère Patisserie, offering an array of individual desserts, including his signature Waldorf Cheesecakes and layer cake jars.
Today, Chef Fougère operates Fern Pastry Studio in Brooklyn. Here, he bridges the gap between high-end artistry and education, offering exclusive cake decorating classes while continuing to provide bespoke desserts on the fougereshop.com website.
