Milton Abel II

For his Spoonful, pastry chef Milton Addison Abel II returned to a favorite childhood memory: "Dad loved making Oreo pudding pie, and I loved eating it," he remembers. "It was simple, made from boxed Jell-O pudding, a pre-bought Oreo cookie crust, and Cool Whip topping. When I make this dessert, it's a way to remember him."

Abel transports those flavors and memories into his Spoonful, using technically intricate methods to deconstruct and then wrap them around a spoon that has a prestigious story of its own. "It was given to me by chef Thomas Keller to commemorate the team at The French Laundry’s earning 3 Michelin stars in 2006," he remembers. "This was a special time in my career—I can't put into words what it was to be a part of that team at that time."