Pastry Chef Mercy Castillo on Craft, Confidence, and Creating Desserts People Fall in Love With

Mercedes (Mercy) Castillo did not begin her hospitality career in the pastry kitchen. Before becoming Pastry Chef at The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami, she worked front of house in Cuba as a server and bartender, later deepening her understanding of flavor through wine education and pairing experiences. But pastry had always been there in the background, waiting for its moment.

Today, Castillo brings together discipline, classic technique, and a clear sense of purpose in desserts that are elegant, balanced, and designed to leave a lasting impression. In this Herstory, she reflects on how her Cuban training shaped her, how Miami expanded her style, and why confidence is every bit as important as precision in pastry.

You began your culinary career in Cuba. What first drew you to hospitality, and what made pastry your chosen path?

My path into hospitality didn’t begin in the kitchen. It began on the floor. In Cuba, I started as a server, then spent many years as a bartender. Later, I became involved in wine education and joined a pairing club called El Balcón del Habano, where we explored the relationship between beverages, cigars, and flavor.

Through those experiences, I learned how deeply food and drink connect with emotion and memory. I had loved baking since I was a child, but for a long time I saw it as just a hobby.

Everything changed during one tasting, when I tried a chocolate and orange tart. It made me curious. I wanted to understand why it worked, how the textures interacted, and how the flavors unfolded. In that moment, I realized I wanted to create that feeling for others. I wanted someone to taste a dessert, fall in love with it, and want to discover it again.

I thought I was searching for that connection through mixology, but eventually I understood that pastry was where my heart had always been.

How did your early training in Cuba shape the way you approach discipline, technique, and ingredients today?

My early training in Cuba taught me discipline, respect for ingredients, and efficiency. You learn to waste nothing, to plan carefully, and to repeat the fundamentals until they become instinct. That foundation still guides me today: clean execution, consistency, and maximum flavor from every component.

How has moving to Miami refined your pastry style?

Miami exposed me to modern techniques, global influences, and premium ingredients. I learned to work with new textures, finishes, and flavor profiles. That evolution refined my style, but I remain grounded in classic craftsmanship: proper baking, clean emulsions, precise temperatures, and thoughtful balance.

When you’re building a dessert, what matters most beyond sweetness?

Balance and structure. I focus on contrast, temperature, texture, acidity, bitterness, and sometimes salt or spice.

At the same time, I believe desserts should be beautiful inside and out. Presentation should invite curiosity and make people want to admire and photograph it. But when they taste it, the flavor and texture must be just as memorable.

For me, the goal is simple: create desserts that impress at first sight and make people fall in love at first taste. It’s not about being complicated. It’s about being complete.

What challenges have shaped you most, and what still needs to change for women in the industry?

One of my biggest challenges has been building confidence and earning trust while adapting to a new culture and language. Communicating in a second language in a high-pressure kitchen requires resilience.

As a woman in a male-dominated industry, I’ve learned to lead through preparation, consistency, and performance. To change the industry, we need mentorship, clear standards, and leadership that values professionalism over ego. When respect is non-negotiable, more women will stay, rise, and lead.

What role has social media played in your career?

Social media has helped me share my work and document my growth. I treat it as a professional portfolio, not a performance. My focus is craftsmanship, consistency, and storytelling. The real work always happens off camera.

What advice would you give chefs trying to use social media thoughtfully without letting it take over?

Schedule content, don’t chase it. Film small moments, focus on quality, and post with intention. Let your work lead. Social media should amplify your craft, not replace it. If the kitchen gets busy, the content can wait.

What is one mindset shift that can help home bakers improve?

Pastry is a balance of chemistry, mathematics, and confidence. When you understand how ingredients interact, measure with intention, and respect temperature and timing, the process becomes predictable instead of intimidating.

But confidence is just as important as technique. When you bake with fear or hesitation, you second-guess yourself, and that’s often when mistakes happen. Trusting the method, staying calm, and following each step with purpose makes a huge difference.

Pastry isn’t about magic or just talent. It’s about understanding the process and believing in it. When you combine knowledge with confidence, success becomes repeatable.

What makes a dessert experience memorable at home?

Focus on details: proper temperature, clean plating, one fresh element, and one contrast. Atmosphere matters too. Lighting, music, and thoughtful presentation can turn a simple dessert into a special moment.

Quickfire with Mercedes Castillo

A flavor combination you’ll never get tired of Guava and cheese. Also cheese with fruit.

Your favorite ingredient right now High-quality chocolate.

Favorite thing to bake at homeCookies with my children, and flan because it reminds me of home.

Favorite baking toolA digital scale.

Sweet or savory breakfast Savory.

Music in the kitchen or silence Silence when decorating or designing. Music when producing.

One pastry technique every home cook should master Understanding how to control heat and emulsions, and really knowing your oven and recognizing doneness.

Want to try her approach at home? Here is Mercedes Castillo’s Dark Chocolate Crémeux Tart with Raspberries & Flaky Sea Salt, a dessert that balances richness, brightness, and just the right amount of drama!

Dark Chocolate Crémeux Tart with Raspberries & Flaky Sea Salt

This dessert celebrates the idea that love lives in small details: the patience of a slow crémeux, the balance of sweet and acid, and the final touch that completes the whole. Crafted with intention, meant to be shared.

Dark Chocolate Crémeux Tart with Raspberries & Flaky Sea Salt

Yield: 1 (8-inch) tart or 6–8 individual portions

Chocolate Tart Crust

Ingredients

• 1½ cups chocolate cookie crumbs

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• Pinch of fine sea salt

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.

2. Mix the crumbs, butter, and salt.

3. Press firmly into an 8-inch tart mold.

4. Bake for 10 minutes.

5. Cool completely.

   
   

Dark Chocolate Crémeux

Ingredients

• 250 g heavy cream

• 200 g whole milk

• 4 egg yolks

• 60 g granulated sugar

• 200 g dark chocolate (60–70%), finely chopped

• Pinch of flaky sea salt

Method

1. Heat the milk and cream until just below a simmer.

2. Whisk the yolks with the sugar.

3. Temper with the hot liquid, then return to the saucepan and cook gently to 82–84°C / 180–183°F.

4. Strain over the chopped chocolate and emulsify until smooth.

5. Add the sea salt, mix gently, and pour into the cooled tart shell.

6. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until set.

   
   

To Finish

• Fresh raspberries

• Optional raspberry coulis

• Flaky sea salt, lightly sprinkled just before serving

• Finely crushed pink peppercorn, very small amount