Portland chef Marjorie Banks is redefining pastry’s place in contemporary cuisine through her acclaimed restaurant, Crust & Crumb. A Le Cordon Bleu graduate who worked at La Belle Époque in Lyon, Banks has transformed classical French techniques into innovative savory applications that challenge the traditional sweet-savory divide.
“Classical training was essential—you need to understand the rules before you can break them effectively,” Banks explains. This foundation gives her the technical vocabulary to experiment with unconventional ingredients while maintaining perfect textures and structures.
A pivotal career moment came when Banks was caught experimenting with garlic-infused laminated dough after hours at La Belle Époque. Rather than being reprimanded, she was encouraged to develop a special appetizer menu showcasing her creations. “That moment changed everything,” Banks recalls. “It taught me that meaningful innovation often happens at the boundaries where traditions meet new ideas.”
Opening Crust & Crumb presented unique challenges, primarily creating a category that didn’t exist before—neither traditional bakery nor conventional restaurant. The restaurant’s open kitchen design deliberately puts pastry craftsmanship center stage, demonstrating that pastry is serious cooking requiring technical precision and creativity.
Banks’ “Foundations to Flight” teaching program has become almost as renowned as her restaurant. “I believe strongly in sharing knowledge rather than guarding it,” she says. Her debut cookbook, “A Pastry Chef’s Guide to Dinner,” translates professional techniques for home cooks, focusing on capturing the spirit of restaurant dishes in achievable ways.
Her advice to young chefs: “Find the balance between learning from tradition and developing your own voice. Innovation doesn’t happen overnight—it’s about consistent creativity sustained over time.”