Pastry Chef Nova Hardy has grown up in the Phoenix Convention Center’s kitchen, literally. She started with the facility when she was just 21 years old and has worked her way up to the head pastry chef for Aventura Catering at the Phoenix Convention Center.
“I grew up here, to be honest I’ve been here for 18 years, and I love being here,” Hardy said. “I love the people and I love creating the dishes that I make.”
Hardy immigrated to the United States from the Philippines and received her formal culinary school education at the Arts Institute of Phoenix. She said she was initially drawn to creating savory foods, but once she was working in kitchens she was drawn to the sweeter side of things.
“I love cooking, I grew up cooking,” Hardy said. “My grandma actually taught me how to bake growing up.”
As head pastry chef, Hardy brings to life all the delectable desserts at the Phoenix Convention Center. She has the freedom to make her own creations and bring her own dreams to life, and she certainly has. Hardy came up with the recipe for the now-famous peach empanadas. A delicious pastry filled with sliced peaches and dusted with powdered sugar, they are a fan favorite among the facility’s clients and staff.
“It was my grandmother’s empanada recipe,” Hardy said. “It’s something we used to make together, and it’s originally a savory food but I wanted to make it sweet. Now they get shipped across the country for the different Super Bowls because the NFL liked them so much. I’d say it’s the thing we are most famous for.”
But the empanadas aren’t the only mouth-watering dessert Hardy loves to make. She said she enjoys a challenge and often has Phoenix Convention Clients send her pictures from Pinterest of elaborate desserts and she will figure out how to make it happen.
“Sometimes I impress myself,” Hardy said with a laugh. “I ask myself, ‘Did I really do that?’”
Hardy said her favorite part of the entire baking process is seeing the end result—a beautifully plated dessert.
“Seeing clients happy with the end result, that’s the most rewarding part,” Hardy said. “When you hear the client say, ‘Wow,’ that’s the best part of my job.”