TRAVIS MARTINEZ
EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF
THE PFISTER HOTEL
Chef Travis Martinez’s culinary career has taken him across the country. Leaving his native California, he’s cooked in Hawaii, Las Vegas and eventually Milwaukee’s Pfister Hotel. He now leads the hotel’s pastry department, where he and his team are responsible for crafting thousands of baked goods every day, servicing Mason Street Grill, Café at the Pfister, Blu lounge, the afternoon tea program, and the many private events and banquets hosted at the historic hotel.
What are some classic Pfister recipes that have stood the test of time?
Chef Mark Weber’s carrot cake has been here since Mason Street Grill opened, and we’d never dream of changing it. It’s beloved around the city. Another is our coffee cake recipe, which dates back at least 20 years. When I started in 2017, I tried it and I was like, “Oh my God, that’s the best coffee cake.” It’s still one of our bestsellers. We rotate it seasonally –blueberry lemon in spring and summer, cinnamon in fall and winter.
How does working in a large hotel differ from your other restaurant experiences?
Hotels are my favorite. You can stay at a hotel for many years and continue to grow, whereas in a small operation, once you’ve mastered your craft in that space, you kind of outgrow it. When I first arrived at The Pfister, I brought in some of the techniques and efficiencies I’d learned in Las Vegas – new equipment, updated processes, more creative menus – and we’ve grown tremendously since then.
How do you and the pastry team handle large events like banquets and weddings?
Organization is everything. We do nearly 60 weddings a year, plus banquets that can serve 300-600 people, and holiday parties for up to 1,000. With a small team, we focus on streamlining production, reusing base components like chocolate mousse or ganache in creative ways so each dessert still feels unique. ◆