Signature Recipes

Chef Max has worked in restaurants throughout the U.S and has received numerous awards. The Florida native has a degree in marketing from Florida State University and attended the Florence Study Center in Italy. Chef Miller has worked in major hotel kitchens in Las Vegas, Hawaii, and Florida. He is a native of Louisiana.

Chocolate Bread Pudding
Created by Chefs Dean James Max and Tony Miller
for Latitude 41 Restaurant in Columbus, OH.

Bread Pudding
16 oz. dark chocolate (Chef Max: I prefer Valrhona Pure Caribe)
4 cups heavy cream
8 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
8 oz. Soft white bread (French, brioche, sliced)
5 tbs. Butter (soft)
3 vanilla beans
½ cup pecans (roasted and chopped)
¼ cup coffee flavored liquor
½ cup chocolate chips

Slice the bread about one inch thick. Spread some butter on the slices. In a pan bring the cream, vanilla, and sugar to a boil.  Pour it over the chocolate and stir until smooth. Cool the chocolate until warm and add the eggs until smooth. Mix in the salt and coffee liquor.

Butter a baking dish and spread the bread over the surface. Sprinkle the bread with the nuts, chocolate chips. Pour some of the custard on top and make another layer until all the ingredients are gone. Gently press the bread down and let it stand there at room temperature for 20 minutes to soak up the custard. Cover the dish with foil and bake the custard in a water bath at 350 degrees for 50 minutes (or until the custard has set).

Banana Caramel Sauce
½ cup sugar
1 Tbs. Corn syrup
2 Tbs. Butter
½ cup cream
2 Tbs. rum
1 banana

Put the sugar and corn syrup in a dry pan and warm over a medium heat until the sugar begins to turn golden brown. Add in the butter and de-glaze with the cream. Put in the banana and rum and let the mixture cook for a minute. You can puree this mixture in the blender or serve the bananas sliced.

Cut the bread pudding in desired shapes and serve with espresso ice cream and the banana caramel sauce.