Chef
Zachary Golper
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- New York City, New York, United States
i. Biography
Zachary Golper has been Chef/Owner of Bien Cuit in Brooklyn, New York, since 2011, and the role sits at the center of a practice built around bread and pastry arts. That work is grounded in Traditional French techniques, shaped by innovative flavors, and tied to the highest quality ingredients from regional farmers and millers. The output is exacting and tactile: crackling crusts, delicate interiors, and pastries that hold rigor and warmth in the same bite.
The Climb
The craft was assembled step by step, with each kitchen adding to the technical base that Zachary Golper would later carry into his own work. Time at Bakery Nouveau at Bakery Nouveau in Seattle, Washington, pushed that precision further. A later stage with a third-generation pâtissier at Unnamed bakery in Provence, France, placed Golper closer to the French lineage that still informs his approach. From there, the work moved into the pace and pressure of professional restaurant bakeries. He helped open bakery for the M Resort at M Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, then took on the operational task of recreating the menu and restructuring the baking operation at Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Across those posts, the craft broadened from technique alone to the larger mechanics of a bakery: timing, systems, and daily service. Today, Zachary is chef/owner of Bien Cuit (since 2011) and chef of Baby Lucs. The two roles show range without breaking from the same base: bread and pastry on one side, a wider culinary application on the other.
Today
At Bien Cuit, Golper has held the Chef/Owner title since 2011, and the restaurant is the clearest expression of his point of view. It anchors the career record and keeps the focus on bread and pastry arts as a discipline, not just a menu category. The work there balances patience and invention, structure and the immediate appeal of something just out of the oven. The appeal of the work comes from the combination of classical method and present-tense sourcing. Traditional French techniques provide the frame, while innovative flavors and regional ingredients keep the results current. In Brooklyn, New York, that balance gives the bakery a clear identity.
Signature
Zachary's signature dishes include Bien Cuit: The Art of Bread. The title names the center of the work plainly: bread treated as a subject for study, technique, and repeatable practice. For a chef whose career has stayed close to fermentation, crust, and texture, it reads as a direct statement of craft.
Recognition
Zachary Golper has received James Beard Foundation Best Baker nomination (2015). Zachary's honors include Best Baker finalist (2016), Best Baker nomination, StarChefs Rising Stars Artisan Award (2013), and Top Ten Bakers in the United States. The recognition tracks with a body of work built on consistency, technical control, and a clear command of bread and pastry arts.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Zachary
What is Zachary Golper's current role?
As of 2026, Zachary Golper is Chef/Owner.
Where did Zachary Golper work before?
Zachary Golper's earlier career included Farm and meditation center and Bakery Nouveau.
What recognition has Zachary Golper received?
Best Baker finalist (2016).
