Interview with Boston Rising Star Hotel Pastry Chef Michael Daly of Four Seasons

Mary Choi: How did you get your start in the industry?
Michael Daly: I got into a lot of trouble as a kid. I was having trouble with traditional school work and books. My whole family cooks—my mom and sisters bake really well. So, I studied culinary at Newbury College. The first five years of my career were a bit of a blur; I went to Chicago for a stage at L2O and Dovetail in New York. I started savory, but I ended up going for pastry because I like the science of it, and I like seeing the final end result.

MC: Who’s your mentor?
MD: Tyler Anderson. He had to sit me down and tell me about what it took to actually make it in this business. He helped me deal with anger and showed me what it takes to deal with people. I learned about technique and how baking works from Tommy Juliano at Copper Beech—he’s now at Community Table.

MC: What are your top three tips for younger chefs?
MD: Work clean, be patient, and never copy.

MC: Do you think hotel structure has ushered you into a routine that’s made your pastry better? 
MD: Yes, it’s that. Working at the Four Seasons has always been a goal of mine, and to work for a Michelin-starred restaurant. The Four Seasons is the best; and I thought, “If I happen to fail, it might as well be at something that’s on top.”

MC: What's the biggest challenge facing your restaurant?
MD: I had a sense that everything had to be new school technique when I first got here. I had to relearn diplomat cream and opera cake. I was nervous when I didn’t have my own circulator here. Some pros about working in hotels are that the budgets are nicer. With the benefits, I can give myself a little bit more free time. If I were at a smaller restaurant, I would pretty much have to live there.

MC: Where do you most want to go for culinary travel?
MD: I want to see London and San Francisco. London is important to me. That’s the goal right now. 

MC: What is your five year plan?
MD: I don’t do five year plans; because, honestly I would have never seen myself here five years ago.