Carito Lourenço: “a dessert with personality is built from the very beginning of the concept”

At the Michelin-starred restaurant Fierro (Valencia, Spain), successfully run by Argentinian chefs Germán Carrizo and Carito Lourenço, desserts are created with a clear purpose and a defined personality.

To maintain a common thread with the rest of the menu, Carito creates desserts from the very beginning, not as an afterthought. In so good.. magazine 34, we spoke with her about her work philosophy,

In the physical magazine, Carito also talks about how she entered the world of pastry and the work she does with Germán at Tándem Gastronómico (Gastronomic Tandem).

Photos: Sara Castaño

Discover so good.. magazine 34

Your perspective connects the sweet and savory worlds, two worlds that seem to be slowly converging. Do you see any differences between them? What does this cross-disciplinary perspective bring you?

Of course there are differences, especially from a technical standpoint, but when I’m creating, I try to make those differences disappear. I’m more interested in the idea behind a dish than whether it’s sweet or savory. This cross-disciplinary perspective gives me freedom, allowing me to think of dessert not as ‘the end’ but as another chapter in the narrative. It also gives me precision, because pastry-making demands rigor, but without losing its soul. The important thing is that what arrives at the table makes sense, beyond the label.

Why is it so difficult to find desserts with personality in a restaurant?

Desserts are often thought of at the end, when everything else has already been decided. They fall into the trap of being decorative, predictable. There is also a fear of sugar, or that the dessert won’t ‘fit in’. For me, the problem is one of approach: a dessert with personality is built from the very beginning of the concept, not as an afterthought. And for that, you have to give it time, resources, and the same creative respect as the rest of the menu.

How would you describe your pastries and desserts you design for Fierro?

They are desserts with roots and character. I like them to have an emotional touch, but also to surprise. I don’t want them to be overly sweet or too complex, but I do want them to have depth, contrast, and a clear connection to Fierro’s story. Sometimes this comes through local ingredients. Other times, through personal memories. But always with an honest approach.

Why do you avoid chocolate?

Because it’s too dominant and often overshadows everything else. I have nothing against chocolate, but at Fierro I want desserts to speak another language. I prefer to explore other ingredients, other textures, other ways of giving pleasure without resorting to the obvious. However, we save chocolate for the end of the menu and it’s always on offer at coffee time.

What challenges does the world of gastronomy in general and patisserie in particular face?

In gastronomy, one of the great challenges is to achieve real sustainability: economic, emotional, and environmental. In pastry, the challenge is to modernize without losing identity. There is a lot to do in terms of techniques, reducing sugar, integrating with savory flavors… But we also have to make sure that pastry continues to be pleasure, emotion, and memory.

Discover the full interview and these recipes from Carito Lourenço in so good.. magazine 34