We first met Krista Margies at the Unpretentious Preview of Aix French Market in May. Margies’ classic French pastries and desserts caught guests’ attention for their meticulous construction and vibrant colors. But is was Margies’ descriptions of their flavor profiles and use of familiar Southern ingredients (and guests’ delight in eating them) that made a long-lasting impression. The stunning sampling was Margies saying, “Hey Charlotte, I’m Krista and I’m here to show you a new style of pastry.”

Margies is from Queens, New York. She spent the first part of her adult years in publishing, and like many current chefs, decided on a career change a few years into publishing. She enrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City and graduated with a degree in pastry and baking arts. Margies’ first culinary job was working in the test kitchen for Rachel Ray Every Day magazine.

“I loved that job, it was so much fun,” Margies says. “The hours were great, you come in and play around with recipes and work out the problems. Then you write it up, clean up, and go home. I would have stayed, but it was an internship and it had an end to it.”

After her internship, Margies went to work for Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain (now closed) as a pastry cook. After four years with Flay, Margies became the pastry chef for Jack the Horse Tavern, a Michelin-recognized restaurant in Brooklyn Heights. There, Margies was at the helm of the pastry and catering program for two years until moving down south to Charlotte.

Once settled here, Margies became a pastry instructor for two years for the now-closed Art Institute of Charlotte. It was around the closing of The Art Institute that Margies was approached for the new Aix-en-Provence venture in Optimist Hall, Aix French Market. As the executive pastry chef, Margies is responsible for the pastry and bread program. Combining her formal education and experience working for award-winning restaurants, Margies is planning a fun and modern yet approachable program for Aix French Market.

“For Aix French Market, we’re making everything that you would find in a French pâtisserie — the classic stuff,” Margies says. “But, we’re in the South, so even though we’re making traditional pastries we’re going to use nontraditional ingredients that are typically not used in French baking. I plan to use a lot of sorghum.”

Currently, Margies is recipe testing. The pastry case will have regular year-round items like baba au rhum (yeast-risen cakes soaked in hot rum syrup) and crepe cakes that rotate seasonally. Margies is working on a red velvet crepe cake, for example. Also expect seasonal desserts to show up too, like pain d’épices, a gingerbread-esque quick bread. Margies plans to use sorghum in addition to the traditional spices. Tarts, cream puffs, and breads will also be staples in the case.

The addition of Margies complements Charlotte’s pastry scene. There isn’t one pastry chef like the other; we all have our own identities. Margies’ traditional French baking with bold Southern flavors is a welcome addition to Charlotte. Very few pastry chefs still follow traditional French baking techniques and maintain classic aesthetics, Margies keeps them recognizable and familiar, but at the same time adds a touch of American comfort. Aix French Market is projected to open in mid-July in Optimist Hall. —Justin Burke-Samson

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