Laiskonis, Michael: - Michael Laiskonis is Creative Director of New York City's Institute of Culinary Education, and manager of its bean-to-bar Chocolate Lab. Previously Executive Pastry Chef at Le Bernardin for eight years, he was awarded Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2007 by the James Beard Foundation, and in 2014 the International Association of Culinary Professionals tapped him as its 'Culinary Professional of the Year'.