Fourth generation pastry chef Thomas Haas grew up helping out in his family's pastry shop in the Black Forest village of Aichhalden. Since 1918, when Thomas's great-grandfather first opened the Café Conditorei Haas, successive generations have prepared the family's Black Forest cakes and other local delicacies. Following in their footsteps, Thomas trained in the classic German tradition and then went on to gain exposure to other flavors and techniques starting with travels to the neighboring countries of Switzerland, Austria and France. Beginning at the age of sixteen, Thomas apprenticed for three and a half years in a fine pastry shop in nearby Gengenbach. There the principles of simplicity, freshness and seasonality of ingredients, taught to him by his father, were reinforced by a passionate and disciplined master. After earning his masters degree in hospitality and pastry, Thomas became the Pastry Chef at Café Pâtisserie Endle in Karlsruhe. Upon receiving a scholarship from the Rotary Club of Germany, Thomas traveled to Brazil to train pastry cooks and chefs in German pastry techniques and shop management. In 1993, Thomas entered the world of five star hotels, becoming the Executive Pastry Chef first at The Belvèdere and then The Jöhris Talvo, both in Switzerland, before being lured to Canada. From 1995 through 1998, Thomas served as Executive Pastry Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver. During his three year tenure at this prestigious hotel he participated in regional Canadian pastry contests as well as in the annual North American Pastry Chef of the Year competition in New York City, where he finished amongst the top three finalists two years in a row (1997 and 1998). On board since the opening of the new DANIEL in December of 1998, Thomas brought his passion for the art of pastry to our kitchen. Whether from his beginnings in small pastry shops specializing in individual sweets, chocolates and ice creams to his years in five star hotels spent perfecting plated desserts and intricate showpieces, Thomas's wealth of experience and creativity make the desserts, petits fours and chocolates a delicious finale to dining at DANIEL.

Thomas has now returned to Canada with his wife and family....