Pastry chef Fabrice Bendano's career has taken him through some of D.C.'s most critically acclaimed kitchens, like the late Citronelle and Alain Ducasse's Adour. He's added another winner to that list now that he's joined Le Diplomate as the 14th Street restaurant's executive pastry chef, replacing Jennifer Costa. And he's already making big changes: As early as this week, Bendano will overhaul the majority of the restaurant's dessert menu, replacing it with a new roster of French classics.
Bendano was coy on exactly what changes would be coming, but he previewed a few of the desserts he was developing.
Chocolate lovers, rejoice.
"I’m working on a new chocolate caramel dessert -- I call it a chocolate caramel cream tart," he said. "It’s very wintry -- you know, chocolate, caramel, hazelnut."
Naturally, there are some things on the menu that Bendano can never take away, lest customers riot.
"I don’t want to change what people are expecting," he said, and that's why there will always be a pot de creme and creme brulee on Le Dip's dessert menu. Still, Bendano acknowledged that he might toy with the recipes: "I also want to bring my own personal touch, something more interesting and more challenging for everybody, especially our guests," he said.
Expect to see the new menu within the next week or too, and catch it while it lasts: Bendano said that as soon as it debuts, he'll begin working on the spring dessert menu in early March.
Le Diplomate, 1601 14th St. NW. 202-332-3333. www.lediplomatedc.com.