Having joined the ranks of the Peabody Memphis just last July, Executive Pastry Chef Konrad Spitzbart doesn’t yet have the following of the iconic Peabody Marching Ducks, which follow one another across a red carpet fit for royalty to the Peabody Grand Lobby fountain, where they entertain guests daily from 11A.M. to 5P.M. But given the size of the hotel's pastry shop and Spitzbart's attention to detail, it’s only a matter of time before guests flock to Memphis to see him, the ducks, and even Graceland.

Spitzbart came to the Peabody Memphis directly from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, where he served as executive pastry chef and created desserts for more than 300 high-profile events a year, including Oscar and Grammy after-parties. He first arrived in the United States from his native Austria in 1993, joining the pastry shop of the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan, as assistant pastry chef and quickly earning a promotion to head pastry chef. When the resort closed during the winter, he’d return to Austria to hone his pastry skills.

He permanently moved to the states in 1996, first working at the Ritz-Carlton Dearborn, Michigan, and then, hearing the call of the west, relocating to the Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows in Beverly Hills.

While the pastry shop at the Beverly Hills Hotel was quite large, Spitzbart says most are “shoved in a corner or are dungeons.” That’s why the Peabody Memphis’ pastry shop—which encompasses an entire floor on one side of the hotel and measures some 1,600 square feet with windows—was so attractive to Spitzbart.

Another attraction was the historic hotel’s long-time emphasis on pastries. As executive pastry chef, Spitzbart oversees a “baker's dozen” staff of 13 people and is responsible for the pastry shop, banquets, two restaurants, the Lobby Bar (“the“ spot to watch the March of the Ducks), and the Peabody Deli and Desserts, which sells cakes and pastries. But Spitzbart is quickly making his mark—creating a chocolatecovered peanut butter and banana cake and adding individual desserts to the ever-popular large cakes that are cut and sold as slices.

“Some desserts are really, really sweet. I’ll be bringing in more flavors and making some things a little lighter,“ Spitzbart says.

Spitzbart also brought with him his favorite tools—knives and chocolate spatulas—an integral part of what he describes as his “rolling tool box.“ Because the hotel’s current ice cream machine is nearly a quarter-of-a-century-old, a brand-new ice cream maker is on his wish list. “I’m always looking to add special molds,“ he adds.

DOUBLE WEDDING CAKES
What won’t change is the tradition of serving both the traditional or “bride’s“ wedding cake as well as a separate “groom’s“ wedding cake at the reception. Wedding cakes at the Peabody Memphis are created in-house, and hosting two weddings every weekend is the norm, Spitzbart notes.

Typically, the bride’s cake is one flavor, while the groom’s is a different one. Hazelnut Flourless and Chocolate Chip Pound Cake are just two of the available cake flavors; Rolled Fondant and Dark Chocolate Ganache are among the four icing selections; and the filling choices easily fill a page and include Tropical Passion Fruit Mousse and Crispy Chocolate Pearls as well as Raspberry Bavarian—light raspberry mousse with a layer of raspberries. For a complete selection of cake flavors, icings, and fillings, look for Peabody Wedding Cakes by Konrad Spitzbart at www.peabodymemphis.com.

This Bavarian influence, Spitzbart recalls, began at age six or seven, cooking at home.

“I began cooking with my mother at home and watched cooking shows. My uncle worked on a cruise ship, so it was a dream of mine to one day be on a cruise ship,“ Spitzbart says, adding he may some day pursue that dream. But for the next 10 or so years, he says he wants to stay put.

“Until the kids are grown (now ages six and nine), I see myself here. I am tired of moving around.“

Other aspects that attracted Spitzbart and his family to Memphis also are drawing cards for visitors and guests to hotel. The city is known for its Southern hospitality, Blues, and Rockand- Roll. The Peabody Memphis, located in the heart of downtown Memphis, is the city's largest with 464 guestrooms and 80,000 square feet of meeting space, and is steeped in tradition, setting it apart from other hotels, Spitzbart says.

And perhaps the most famous of all traditions is the Marching Ducks, which began in 1932 when then General Manager Frank Schutt, an avid sportsman, returned from a hunting trip empty handed. As a prank, he placed three English call ducks—live duck decoys which were legal at the time—in the lobby fountain. Guest reaction was so positive that ducks, now North American mallards, are one of the Peabody Memphis’ best ambassadors.

And Executive Pastry Chef Spitzbart is well on his way to becoming another!