Pastry chef Brigette Contreras indulges in chocolate

Brigette Contreras, corporate executive pastry chef of The ONE Group, which has STK at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, is a native of Riverside, California, and a graduate of The Kitchen Academy in Los Angeles who worked in multiple restaurants in California before coming to STK in Las Vegas in 2014. She recently returned from the Super Bowl, where The ONE Group scored a gig cooking for players and their friends and families.

Review-Journal: What was the Super Bowl like?

Chef Brigette Contreras: It was an amazing experience. We did all the food for the pre- and post- parties for the Patriots, their families and friends, and for the host committee. STK provided all the food. (She served a salted caramel budino with salted caramel sauce, white chocolate streusel and vanilla Chantilly; strawberry shortcake; and banana cream pie with vanilla cream, fresh bananas and shortbread crumble).

RJ: Always in your fridge?

Contreras: Eggs, the one thing I cook every single day for breakfast. I never go without. (She likes them over-medium.)

RJ: Currently obsessed with?

Contreras: Pressed juice. I’ve been traveling a lot for work, and it keeps me healthy. Beets and ginger; that’s been my go-to lately.

RJ: Newest Las Vegas discovery?

Contreras: I recently went to DW Bistro for brunch and it was delicious. All the food was on point, they had music and it was so much fun.

RJ: Favorite indulgence?

Contreras: I am a pastry chef and I love chocolate. I don’t think there goes a day when I don’t eat it — either chocolate peanut butter cups or chocolate chip cookies. Something chocolate, I always have that in stock.

RJ: I never eat …

Contreras: Avocados, celery, mushrooms. Just textures — smell — I can’t do it.

RJ: Favorite brunch at home?

Contreras: I always do breakfast and it’s usually around 11 or 12, so I guess that’s brunch. Eggs, turkey bacon and tortillas.

RJ: Best tip for home cooks?

Contreras: Just go for it. Don’t be afraid. You have to test things out or make them multiple times before they turn out good.

RJ: What are you working on?

Contreras: We are running a strawberry shortcake for Valentine’s Day, and I did it for Super Bowl also: a sweet biscuit with white chocolate chips, fresh strawberries and white chocolate cremeaux. I probably will run it in the summertime, when the strawberries are in season and delicious and sweet.

Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at Hrinella@reviewjournal.com. Follow @HKRinella on Twitter.