Meet Lydia Beebe. She is, quite literally, the sweetheart of Cerulean. Alongside renowned pastry chef Pete Schmutte, Lydia makes up one half of Cerulean Indianapolis’ dynamic dessert duo. Taking a break from the whir of mixing macaron batter, we were able to catch up with Lydia and learn more about the journey that made her the pastry chef she is today.
Growing up in Illinois, Lydia moved to our beautiful Hoosier state at the age of eight. She states that she has always been fascinated with science and mathematics, and considered pursuing the field of biology. She moved to Louisiana to attend Tulane University. It was there, in the robust food culture of New Orleans that Lydia fell in love with the culinary arts, especially desserts. She returned to Indianapolis to enroll in culinary school at the Art Institute.
We have been fortunate to have Lydia on our Cerulean team since August of 2014. With her composed charm and her ability to hold her own in the kitchen – Lydia continues to prove that she is a force to be reckoned with. Of all the divine dessert items Cerulean has featured, the blue cheese parfait with Concord grape sorbet has been Lydia’s favorite. She explains that the intricacy of the two unexpected flavors made it not only delicious, but also nostalgic. For Lydia, it reminded her of her childhood. And her favorite treat to make at home? Pizza.
When asked what words of wisdom Chef Schmutte could pass on to Lydia and other up-and-coming pastry chefs, he states the best advice is to simply “show up.” Honing in on what makes Cerulean desserts stand out from other sweet treats around town, we concluded that the level of thought and creativity that goes into each dessert truly sets us apart. Cerulean is also an anomaly in the sense that we have two chefs dedicated solely to the pastry craft – ensuring that customers are receiving the crème de la crème for every course of their meal. Our restaurant comes equipped with a pastry observation room, allowing customers to get a sneak-peak into the action of Pete and Lydia hard at work.
Chefs Pete and Lydia have perfected the balance of fine art and decadence in their dishes. If you haven’t had the pleasure of personally experiencing a Cerulean dessert, we can assure you that it is not just a final course, but an experience in and of itself. As with all of our menus, our desserts change seasonally. Stop in and treat yourself to one – or all – of our dessert items today!
Cheers,
Katie
Current lunch and dinner dessert menus listed on our website
Make a reservation by giving us a call at (317) 870-1320 or visiting www.ceruleanrestaurant.com/indianapolis
Photos courtesy of Cerulean Indy (@ceruleanindy) Instagram account