Growing up north of Paris, Dominique began his culinary education at sixteen, apprenticing in a restaurant kitchen before going on to complete his compulsory military service. Upon his return, drawn to the precision and science of pastry, he set his sights on Paris, eventually landing at Pâtisserie Peltier. A year later, and already on his way to becoming an accomplished pâtissier, Dominique made what would be an invaluable choice when he joined the legendary Fauchon. He would spend seven years there under Master Pastry Chef Christophe Adam. He made his way up the ranks quickly, focusing first on viennoiserie,
and then on entremets. Working on Fauchon’s unique cakes was revelatory. It taught the pastry chef balance in flavor, texture and aesthetics. This in depth experience provided him with a strong foundation from which he would create exquisite recipes of his own design. Furthermore as the company expanded, Dominique was called upon to travel to many of Fauchon’s boutiques and production facilities worldwide, where he would manage and train an international staff and guide them in the production of Fauchon classics and new desserts.

Daniel Boulud invited Dominique to New York, naming him Chef Pâtissier in summer 2006. At DANIEL, Dominique’s chocolate and fruit dessert menus evolve with the seasons, offering classics with a twist. Characterized by elegant lines and cleanly focused flavors, his desserts draw on an array of international ingredients, and are as stunning to the eye as they are dazzling on the palate. His artistry and talents were recognized recently by PastryScoop.com with their 2007 award for "Best Dessert Menu in the United States." Most recently, in February 2009, Dominique Ansel was named one of the top ten pastry chefs in the United States by Dessert Professional Magazine.