Austria is well known for its rich culture, including the art of pastry making, which is passed down to each generation. Born and raised in Austria, Gerhard Michler chose to become a pastry chef and started the journey as an apprentice in Austria and then obtained additional training at prestigious Swiss Five Star Hotels, where he ultimately became an executive pastry chef. When serendipitously offered the chance to join other European chefs in bringing culinary arts to the USA, Gerhard made the move and became a pastry chef for several U.S. hotels.
In 1989, while living and working in San Francisco, Gerhard along with his wife and business partner Mary Michler, decided to start their own wholesale bakery called Creative International Pastries, Inc. Led by Chef Gerhard Michler, Creative International Pastries, Inc. has evolved into a fully staffed European bakery that has earned the reputation for creating high quality, beautifully designed, delicious desserts for their wholesale clients, where orders can range in size from one dessert to ten thousand desserts. In addition to their wholesale business, the Michlers’ launched a retail line called “Gerhard Michler Fine European Desserts” and own the petite grab and go style Jolt’n Bolt Bakery & Café, which is located inside their San Francisco Bakery.
Over the years, Chef Michler’s desserts have been served at important San Francisco events including the San Francisco Symphony’s annual Opening Gala, SF MOMA 75th anniversary celebration, Superbowl celebrations, San Francisco Film Festival, important corporate, business and society events, at weddings and restaurants. Gerhard has also been a featured chef at events including Master Chef Food & Wine events in Carmel, Napa Valley Winery wine club events, the Awahnee Lodge in Yosemite, and even Dandelion Chocolate in SF with Traci des Jardin. He has also taught pastry classes in numerous culinary schools and apprenticed many pastry chefs. Gerhard Michler was especially honored and thrilled to have been asked to create Celebrity Chef Jacques Pepin’s personal 75th birthday cake – a magnificent towering Classic French Croquembouche!
Local, national and international media sources and government leaders have also taken notice of Gerhard Michler’s European desserts. A short list of examples for media include a starring role in a commercial for the AT&T anti texting product Associate Pledge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iD1fpyPY5M, articles in Bloomberg News, San Francisco Magazine/Brides, SF Chronicle, San Francisco Business Times, culinary food bloggers, TV and radio appearances, and even Gerhard’s hometown Austrian Dornbirn newspaper. Chef Gerhard Michler along with his wife Mary were awarded a certificate of honor by former SF Mayor Gavin Newson for their philanthropic support to the San Francisco community and causes, honored by the Austrian Consulate General of San Francisco at SF City Hall for representing Austria’s “Glory of Pastry Making”, and honored by the late SF Mayor Ed Lee, who proclaimed October 24, 2014 as “Gerhard & Mary Michler Day” in the City of San Francisco.
Since the journey began in 1989 for Gerhard Michler and Creative International Pastries, Inc., Pacific Gourmet has been there all the way, supplying Gerhard with an extensive variety of high-quality products and ingredients that Gerhard uses in creating his decadent European pastries.
To learn more about Chef Gerhard Michler, visit www.gerhardmichler.com
“I have worked with Pacific Gourmet since we started our own company back in 1989. They are extremely knowledgeable regarding ingredients that we use in our pastries and if they don’t have something in stock, they will go the length to find it for us. They offer great customer service, have contributed to our success, and I’m glad they are staying strong in the San Francisco Bay Area”. – Chef Gerhard Michler