Executive Pastry Chef Ron Paprocki on His Career and MO Lounge at Mandarin Oriental NY

Broadway + NYC

Broadway

Off-Broadway

Off-Off Broadway

Cabaret

Dance

Opera

Classical Music

Eastern

Central

Western

West End

WEST END

UK Regional

International

Canada

Australia / New Zealand

Europe

Asia

Latin America

Africa / Middle East

Entertainment

TV/Movies

Music

Chef Ron brings an impressive background to MO Lounge and he shared with us some interesting insights into his career

POPULAR

Get all the top news & discounts for Food + Wine & beyond.

Executive Pastry Chef Ron Paprocki has decades of experience leading pasty teams at some of the finest New York City restaurants. Originally born in upstate New York, Chef Ron relocated abroad to Kassel, Germany to start his culinary career. He received his training at the elite Elisabeth-Knipping Schule as an apprentice pastry chef at Café Alheit, then returned to NYC where he joined the team at Financier Patisserie. He was an integral member of the opening teams of Sasch Bakery/Restaurant and Gordon Ramsay at The London NYC, and headed the pastry team for Gotham Restaurant, co-creating the Gotham Chocolates program along the way, before taking the helm as Executive Chef, positions he held for over 12 years. Paprocki also received Good Food Awards in 2019, 2020 and 2023.

Get all the top news & discounts for Food + Wine & beyond.

Broadwayworld had the pleasure of interviewing Executive Pastry Chef Ron Paprocki about his career and MO Lounge at Mandarin Oriental New York.

What was your earliest interest in cooking?

I remember always making sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies as a child. Probably starting around 5 or 6 years old. The recipes straight out of The Fanny Farmer Cookbook . Those pages are the most worn with old butter stains and the occasional chocolate smear. My parents worked, so I would use the “home alone” time to rule the kitchen. As I look back, I really made a mess of the kitchen. Complete disaster to clean up. I’ve definitely come a long way, as now I work with slightly greater efficiency.

Who were some of your career mentors?

I started my professional culinary journey with my apprenticeship at Cafe Alheit in Kassel, Germany. The chef/owner, Wolfgang Alheit, was a chef to be admired. He was methodical in all of his decisions and movements throughout the kitchen. Chef Alheit made every action with purpose and efficiency and I admired that trait. I learned a lot in classical European pastry techniques from this apprenticeship and has been foundational to my development as a pastry chef.

It was working with the team at Gordon Ramsay at The London NYC is when refinement in flavor happened for me. Really understanding the importance of using acid AND salt in desserts. Understanding this was really important to enhancing the flavors in everything, including dessert. Chefs Josh Emett and Markus Glocker really pushed me with this.

What culinary styles have influenced your career?

Prior to starting my journey as a pastry chef, I was a landscape designer for a decade.

A lot of my desserts contain agricultural and botanical influences. I credit my upbringing around gardens, orchards, and farmers’ markets in upstate New York as shaping my flavor instincts. Herbs, flowers, fruits, and natural textures often appear in my desserts.

In the early 2000’s, Spanish pastry chefs Ramon Morato, Albert Adria and Paco Torreblanca were very influential to me in contemporary plated-dessert aesthetics. Their desserts were known for balancing technical pastry work with modern artistic presentation, incorporating chocolate sculpture, layered textures, and minimalist design elements common in contemporary haute cuisine.

What do you consider the most distinguishing features of your work as a chef?

Over the years, I’ve come to understand the importance of restraint. Composing a delicious dish with just the right amount of detail. Early in my career, I feel that I was overcomplicating a dessert by adding too much technique. A clean dessert, with simplistic aesthetics and clear flavor, are the present goals for a good dessert.

My apple tarte tatin is made from just a few ingredients, but each ingredient is perfect.

The correct variety of apple, the right amount of lamination on the dough, the right amount of sugar and butter. They are all so important.

In a 2019 review, New York Times critic Pete Wells praised my desserts — especially the tarte tatin, pain perdu, and soufflés — calling the tarte tatin “the greatest in the city.”

What is your favorite meal?

I really enjoy a variety of cuisines, but I could easily crave sushi as much as a nice well-marbled ribeye steak. Kistler Chardonnay with the sushi, and Ridge Geyserville to compliment the ribeye.

Tell me a little bit about your restaurant for our readers.

Located on the 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental New York, at Columbus Circle, MO Lounge is one of Manhattan’s best-known hotel dining rooms, especially famous for its panoramic views over Central Park and the Midtown skyline. The space combines upscale hotel dining with a more relaxed lounge atmosphere.

The restaurant focuses on contemporary American cuisine with global influences, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails, and afternoon tea. The menu changes seasonally and emphasizes refined but approachable dishes rather than ultra-formal tasting menus.

I oversee the pastry program and have helped shape the dessert offerings into a more modern, approachable style while still rooted in classical French and German pastry technique. The Mandarin Oriental profile highlights my award-winning background, including the years at Gotham Bar and Grill and recognition from the Good Food Awards.

The lounge is especially known for dramatic sunset and Central Park views, elegant afternoon tea service, sophisticated desserts and pastries.

MO Lounge is on the 35th Floor of the Mandarin Oriental located at 80 Columbus Circle, New York, 10023. For more information, menus, and hours of operation, please visit MO Lounge: Central Park Dining | Mandarin Oriental, New York .

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental New York

Videos

Food + Wine SHOWS

Recommended For You

Sign up for announcements, and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows!

© 2026 - Copyright Wisdom Digital Media , all rights reserved. Privacy Policy

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwfood-wine/article/Chef-Spotlight-Pastry-Chef-Ron-Paprocki-of-MO-Lounge-at-Mandarin-Oriental-NY-20260525)._