At the James Beard Awards in New York in 2007, Allison Vines-Rushing served banana pudding brûlée with cat's tongue cookies in mini glass jelly jars.
To promote the final season of Dexter last year, Magnolia Bakery concocted a gory treat to honor the show's namesake sociopath. The Killer Cupcake topped red velvet cake with spattered caramel "blood" and "glass" shards made out of sugar.
At Stella McCartney's Electricity-Free Carnival in New York in 2012, a mac 'n' cheese station was set up as a two-part offering: guests could either select a mini serving on a spinach cone from a Ferris-wheel-shaped stand, or opt for a full cup that could be customized with toppings such as veggie bacon bits, truffle oil, jalapeños, scallions, or sriracha sauce.
For a camp-theme event last year, KG Fare Catering & Events offered a mess-free take on s'mores by displaying the gooey treats on clothespins.
Now 25 years old, the magazine-bestowed honors are widely seen as a sign of a successful career-to-come for chefs around the nation. Next: Spring 2014
