Chef Francisco Lozano Balances Fine Chocolate
and Tropical Flavors

Executive Pastry Chef at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel
prefers single vineyard chocolate.

By Patricia D. Sherman

Francisco Lozano, Executive Pastry Chef at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, oversees a team that creates all the pastries, confections and breads for the hotel’s three dining outlets—Ocean and Vine Restaurant, Papillon Lounge and The Pool Café—as well as   banquets and room service

Lozano says his earliest childhood memories are of the taste of chocolate and of hearty family meals. He knew from an early age that he was destined for a career in the kitchen.

When he discussed chocolate with ChocolateAtlas.com recently, he said his appreciation of chocolate has deepened and refined with experience.

CA: What is your chocolate philosophy?
CHEF LOZANO: Chocolate is the most versatile ingredient in pastry. You can’t go wrong and people love it every way, melted, frozen, hard, chewy or baked.

CA: What is your favorite kind of chocolate to work with?
CHEF LOZANO: I prefer to work with Valrhona single vineyard chocolates-Caraibe, which is 66% cocoa butter. Single vineyard means the cocoa beans are grown in a specific region, in this case, Venezuela. For me this is the equivalent of a full-bodied cabernet wine. Its complexity and unique qualities make this chocolate my favorite variety.

CA: What is your signature chocolate recipe?
CHEF LOZANO: My Single Vineyard Chocolate Trio, which balances the distinct flavors of three chocolates. It features Valrhona’s Grand Cru Caraibe, Guanaja and Mmanjari. The desserts consist of a warm chocolate cake made with Caraibe, the medium bodied chocolate; a Manjari Créme Bruleé, with a milder taste, and a bittersweet Guanaja tart, the strongest taste. I serve this with a Manjari ice cream and a cocoa port wine sorbet. (Chef Lozano shares his recipe for another favorite, Warm Chocolate Cake.)

More about Chef Lozano

Chef Lozano began his culinary career in 1984 as an apprentice for Le Petit Four Restaurant in Los Angeles Sunset Plaza. There, he worked with Eric Marjorie, owner of Clafoutis, also in Sunset Plaza. He later moved to Michel Richard’s Citrus, where he met Chef Alain Giraud.  Then he worked for several years at Jimmy’s Restaurant in Beverly Hills. In 2002 and 2003, the California Restaurant Writer’s Association named Lozano “Pastry Chef of the Year.”

Later Chef Giraud invited him to join Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. Lozano is known for his imaginative incorporation of tropical flavors into his specialty desserts.  Lozano also enjoys gardening and photography. He studied photo journalism at Los Angeles City College, and when he is not in the kitchen he can be found in his garden or snapping photos. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter.

Opened in 1989 as the first beachfront hotel in Los Angeles, Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel has 350 guest rooms and suites and award-winning cuisine. It is located near Santa Monica’s premier attractions.

www.loewshotels.com

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