From New York to Ubud: An interview with Chef’s Table pastry visionary Will Goldfarb
A true culinary trailblazer, Chef Will Goldfarb has spent over 30 years pushing the boundaries of pastry in some of the world’s most celebrated kitchens. Named The World’s Best Pastry Chef by Cacao Barry’s The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Chef Will became a global icon through his feature in Netflix’s Chef’s Table: Pastry in 2018.
His groundbreaking restaurant, Room4Dessert, in Ubud, Bali—just 30 minutes away from Anantara Ubud Bali Resort—continues to push the boundaries of dessert dining. Offering a multi-course tasting experience rooted in nature, Room4Dessert draws inspiration from its surrounding medicinal plant garden, deepening its connection to sustainability and community.
In this exclusive interview, Chef Will shares his remarkable journey, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and his vision for the future of pastry.
Your journey in the culinary world has been nothing short of extraordinary, from New York to Bali. Can you tell us a little about your background, and how has it influenced your approach to creating innovative desserts?I was raised in New York, went to school in North Carolina, and went to Paris to avoid law school. A chance encounter at a cookbook shop eventually led me to El Bulli, and the rest, as they say, is history. In 2005, I opened a small dessert bar called Room4Dessert in New York.
By 2014, I had the opportunity to relaunch Room4Dessert in Ubud, Bali, and it evolved into a multi-course tasting experience with multiple dining rooms, surrounded by a medicinal plant garden. Our connection to nature grew deeper from that point onward.
In 2018, our journey took on new life after the Netflix show Chef’s Table: Pastry introduced us to a global audience, and in 2021, I was named Best Pastry Chef in the World by 50 Best. We’ve continued to grow and innovate, restoring the Powder Room and Shelter Island with sustainability in mind—no new concrete, focusing on preserving existing structures. Most recently, we opened AIR SG, which was named one of Time Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places.
At the heart of it all, my journey has always been about following my beliefs—cooking with values that respect people, the community, and nature. It’s about creating desserts that are delicious, beautiful, and meaningful.
In your Netflix show, Chef’s Table: Pastry, you shared deeply personal stories about your career and life. What message or thoughts did you hope viewers would take away from your episode?
I wanted to show people that it’s okay to fail. We live in a world that glorifies relentless success and the idea of overnight achievement, but that’s just a myth. I’ve been doing this for 35 years—three of those years were incredible, and the other 32 were all about preparation.
Perseverance is underrated, and so is staying humble. Equally important is doing what you love, engaging with people in meaningful ways, and showing up mindfully. It’s in those magic moments—a new dish, a lively dining room, or a satisfied guest—where the real joy lies.
What do you believe is the most important lesson you've learned through your work, both in the kitchen and in life?
The most important lesson is to show up every day, ready to perform. Never give up, stick to what you believe in, and always put others before yourself. Take care of your body and mind, and focus on one thing at a time. Mastery comes from being fully present in each task and remaining committed to the process.
As someone known for redefining desserts, how do you envision the future of pastry evolving, especially with the rise of global culinary trends?
I see the future of pastry heading towards being sugar-free, sustainable, plant-based, and site-specific. We’re moving towards desserts that reflect a deeper respect for the environment and a sense of place while staying connected to tradition in innovative ways.
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