Lincoln Carson, Executive Pastry Chef The original idea behind the dessert was a hazelnut scented bread pudding. Together Pastry Chef Lincoln Carson and Chef Daniel Boulud tested, tasted and re-tested ten different versions until a happy marriage of flavor, consistency and visual appeal arose from the plate. The result, a Milk Chocolate Fondant with Hazelnut Sauce, reflects the collaborative process that Boulud and Carson relish, a culinary think tank in which the two create desserts as great endings to great meals at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort and Country Club´s Daniel Boulud Brasserie. Lincoln thrives on the sharing of ideas, melange of styles and the traditions that he brings to his dessert menu. He comes to Daniel Boulud Brasserie with an impressive career carefully constructed in the kitchens of great traditional French, casual Mediterranean and contemporary American restaurants. His experience has taken him from renowned classics such as Le Bernardin, La Cote Basque and the Waldorf Astoria's Peacock Alley to excellent American establishments including Carmel´s Highlands Inn. In addition, he has navigated the Las Vegas restaurant scene as pastry chef at the Bellagio´s Picasso and gained valuable experience with both the Olives and B.R Guest restaurant groups in New York. The chefs who have helped hone Carson´s craft and fine tune his palate range from Jean Jacques Rachou, Eric Ripert and Julian Serrano to Tom Valenti, Cal Stamenov, Rick Laakonen and famed patissier Francois Payard. While Lincoln's career began humbly as a dishwasher in a hospital kitchen, he went on to obtain a professional degree in pastry arts at Johnson and Wales University. Originally attracted to the artistry and technical precision of chocolate sculpture and sugar pulling, Carson now finds greater creative satisfaction in developing flavor and texture on his dessert menus. “Once a particular flavor has made its way into my consciousness,” explains Lincoln, “I can’t let go until I find a way to express it on the palate and on the plate.” Now, for Daniel Boulud Brasserie, Lincoln devotes his talents to reinterpreting classic brasserie style with a forward thinking approach. “Our Coupe Cosmopolitan is a delicious expression of brasserie spirit,” says Lincoln describing a menu favorite. The dish is inspired by both the traditional layered ice cream sundays of a French brasserie and a little contemporary cocktail culture. “Not too sweet, but crisp, refreshing and layered with flavor: lime-raspberry gelée, cranberry and vanilla panna cotta, fresh mandarin orange and crème chantilly – all served in a chic stemless martini glass," gleams the proud pastry chef. If he had his way, Lincoln might turn the meal upside down so as to begin with dessert. While that may not happen any time soon in Daniel Boulud´s Las Vegas restaurant, Boulud has tremendous confidence in Carson and what he brings to the table. "He has excellent French–American training and a refined sense of texture, taste and tradition. Lincoln understands and respects the classics, but brings a contemporary sensibility to his work. We are in for a treat at Daniel Boulud Brasserie."