KC Flavor Champion: Christian Stewart

Christian Stewart

“I believe dessert is the lasting impression of a dining experience. Guests may remember the entrée, but they often talk about the dessert on the drive home. It’s the final opportunity to surprise someone, exceed expectations and create a lasting memory. Every course matters—including the final one.” With that mindset in play, it’s entirely fitting that Christian Stewart is one of this year’s Kitchen Collaborative prize winners, his Peanut Butter Mousse Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie concept earning enthusiastic praise from sponsor Otis Spunkmeyer.

Stewart, concept chef, Twin Peaks Restaurants, likens news of the win to discovering Willy Wonka’s golden ticket. “I actually read the email twice before it really registered,” he recounts. “As chefs, we spend so much time creating for others that it’s incredibly rewarding to be recognized for your work.”

For this dessert creation, Otis Spunkmeyer’s Chocolate Chunk Pizza Cookie is topped with a thick layer of peanut butter mousse and chilled. For service, slices are covered with a dark chocolate ganache, “which cascades down the sides,” says Stewart. He mixes raw pecans with Chili Crisp Hot Honey Sauce from Lee Kum Kee prior to toasting for a spicy, crunchy garnish.

The dish is an homage to a flourless chocolate torte layered with chocolate mousse and dark chocolate ganache created by a colleague at a Livingston, Mont., hotel restaurant where Stewart developed much of his culinary foundation. “That dish completely changed the way I thought about desserts,” he recounts. “Years later, I still remember not only how incredible it tasted, but how beautifully it was executed. This recipe became my opportunity to pay tribute to that memory while making my own dish.” Stewart replaced the torte with the cookie pie and swapped mousse flavors.

He thinks of the dish as less of a reinvention, but “a fresh perspective.” After all, “Peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies are a match made in heaven.”

As a concept chef, innovation is part of what I do every day. But competitions like Kitchen Collaborative give you permission to think without boundaries. You get to chase ideas simply because they’re exciting. I love taking exceptional ingredients and asking myself, ‘How can I showcase this in a way someone hasn’t seen before?’ It’s an opportunity to sharpen my creativity, challenge my instincts and continue growing as a chef.

—Christian Stewart

Indeed, some flavor pairings become classics “because they simply work,” Stewart continues. “Chocolate and peanut butter create the perfect balance of sweet, salty, creamy and rich. It’s nostalgic and comforting, while still leaving plenty of room to elevate the execution.” He gained confidence in the dish after earning approval from his first taste-tester: his wife, who loves peanut butter cups. “I knew I was headed in the right direction.”

Stewart made the peanut butter mousse from scratch. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I actually pulled out my grandmother’s old KitchenAid mixer,” he recounts. “There’s something special about creating modern recipes using equipment that’s been part of your family’s kitchen for generations.”

The sweet heat and roasted nuttiness of the candied pecans—with a subtle saltiness—was a modern touch Stewart planned early on. “I wanted to introduce texture and contrast,” he says. “Rich desserts are wonderful, but they become memorable when every bite evolves.”

WHY THIS PLATE PREVAILED

“What surprised us most was how seamlessly the chef transformed our Chocolate Chunk Cookie Pizza into the foundation of an elevated plated dessert experience,” says David Grandell, senior marketing manager, Aspire Bakeries, parent company of Otis Spunkmeyer. “The product is already versatile, but this concept demonstrated how it can move beyond a traditional shareable cookie dessert into something that feels highly chef-driven and premium.”

The layered flavor and textural experience were chief among the distinguishing factors, Grandell continues. “Rather than simply topping the cookie base with familiar ingredients, the chef created a layered dessert with mousse, ganache and a bold, sweet-heat pecan topping that completely reimagined the application, introducing a contemporary flavor trend that appeals to consumers looking for adventurous flavor experiences. It was a creative way to blend comfort food with elevated culinary trends.”

The dish also scored points for ease of execution. “One of the biggest factors we considered in the judging process was whether the concept could realistically translate into foodservice operations, while still feeling exciting and differentiated for consumers,” says Grandell. “While the final presentation feels polished, the overall build remains relatively approachable for operators. Components such as the peanut butter mousse, ganache and flavored pecans can be prepared or sourced efficiently, allowing operators to create a high-impact dessert without excessive complexity.”

The Otis Spunkmeyer/Aspire Brands judging team also appreciated the aesthetics of the dish. “Presentation matters, especially for desserts that can drive impulse purchases, social sharing and premium pricing opportunities,” says Grandell. “The plated presentation immediately communicated indulgence and quality. And it felt aligned with the Otis Spunkmeyer brand.”

FUEL FOR FRESH THINKING

In addition to bragging rights, the winners of the 2026 Kitchen Collaborative competition have the opportunity to participate in a culinary expedition to Mendoza, Argentina, led by Flavor & The Menu and Summit F&B, who together founded the menu development program back in 2020. Stewart is eager to take his first trip outside of North America. “Everything about it is exciting,” he says. “Experiencing another country’s food culture firsthand, seeing local ingredients, techniques and traditions and connecting with other chefs is something I’ve always wanted to do.”

The entire Kitchen Collaborative experience was a winning one, says Stewart. He particularly appreciated the time that participating chefs had to assess the assortment of products in the sponsor kits, valuing “the opportunity to really study each ingredient and build something thoughtful around it. The diversity of products pushed me outside my comfort zone and encouraged me to experiment with combinations I probably wouldn’t have explored otherwise. That’s often where the best creativity happens.”

From the unboxing to the upcoming trip to Argentina and all the steps in between, Stewart sees the positive impact Kitchen Collaborative will have on his work at Twin Peaks. Competitions like this fuel the creative process, “which directly influences how I approach menu development,” he says. “I’m already working on incorporating several concepts and techniques inspired by my Kitchen Collaborative experience—and that’s one of the biggest rewards of participating.”

MORE INSPIRED TAKES

In addition to his award-winning dessert, Stewart developed several other concepts that used sponsor products as high-impact ingredients and subtle flavor contributions alike.

Lobster Cakes with Lemongrass Chili-Pickled Watermelon Rind Relish

“Earlier in my career, I worked with what I still consider one of the best baked crab cakes I’ve ever had,” recounts Stewart, channeling those memories when he unpacked Lobster Sensations from sponsor King & Prince Seafood. “I recognized a similar texture and knew I wanted to reinterpret that experience through an Asian-inspired lens. I’m a huge fan of Asian fusion.”

He mixed the blend of genuine North Atlantic lobster meat and tender fish protein with sourdough crumbs, scallions, mayonnaise, whole-grain Dijon mustard and an egg, as well as herbs and spices and then formed the cake rounds for baking. “It was such fun to work with the lobster, as keeping the larger pieces together was easier than the lump crab I’ve used in the past,” he explains.

The lobster cakes are topped with a relish that features watermelon in multiple forms. “I wanted to maximize the ingredient while creating freshness, acidity and texture throughout the dish,” Stewart says of the fruit provided courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board, another Kitchen Collaborative sponsor. The key component of the relish is watermelon rind pickled with rice vinegar, watermelon purée and Lemongrass Chili Flavored Hoisin Sauce from sponsor Lee Kum Kee.

The relish offered a “light, crisp snap” that was a counterpoint to the richness of the lobster cake, Stewart notes. “Lobster cakes are naturally rich and satisfying, so I wanted something that would brighten the overall composition. The pickled watermelon rind delivered acidity, crunch and freshness, while the lemongrass hoisin added sweetness and aromatic depth. The balance kept the dish feeling vibrant, rather than heavy.”

The chef admits to “kind of going rogue” on the pickling liquid. “But boy, am I glad I did. It turned out delicious!” Opting to trust the natural sugars present in the watermelon purée and the lemongrass hoisin, Stewart eschewed the granulated sugar that’s used in most traditional pickling recipes. “It was definitely a calculated risk, because changing that balance can easily throw off the acidity, but in the end, it created exactly the flavor profile I was after.”

Tricolour Grilled Cheese

No, that’s not a misspelling (or accidental British spelling) in the name of Stewart’s three-hued sandwich. Taking inspiration from Kitchen Collaborative sponsor BelGioioso—which specializes in traditional Italian-style cheeses—the chef paid homage to the company’s heritage by conceiving and naming the dish around the Italian flag, known as the Tricolour, for its vivid bands of green, white and red.

“Looking at the BelGioioso packaging, I noticed the American and Italian flags sitting side by side and that immediately sparked the concept,” says Stewart. “From there, the dish became a celebration of Italian flavors through both the ingredients and the presentation.” The sandwich features green basil pesto, creamy white burrata halves and a chunky roasted red pepper mince layered between two slices of sourdough.

“I love working with burrata,” says Stewart. “The multi-textural experience is such a delight. But I’d honestly never used it in a grilled cheese before, which made it both exciting and intimidating.” Stewart’s thought was to “appeal to the common pantry” by selecting ingredient staples—red bell peppers and pesto—likely to be found alongside burrata.

The sandwich boasts both the hallmarks of the perfect grilled cheese along with distinctive flavors of its key components. “The first thing you notice is the buttery crunch of perfectly grilled sourdough,” says Stewart. “Then the roasted red peppers bring a subtle sweetness and depth, followed by the bright garlic and herb notes from the basil pesto. Finally, the creamy burrata ties everything together with a rich, clean finish.” The result is a bite that’s layered, balanced and utterly craveable.

The celebration of innovative menu development continues with profiles of more Kitchen Collaborative Flavor Champions throughout the fall.

Kitchen Collaborative Project Management: Summit F&B
Peanut Butter Mousse Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie photo: Photography: otysonphoto.com // Food Styling: Peg Blackley