When you take a look at Vince Griffith’s desserts, you can see why he briefly studied chemistry at college. He’s got that kind of mind. And now that he’s using his brainiac mojo to create desserts, the results can be mind-blowing.  

Clearly, his creative style was molded in the Chicago kitchens of the late Charlie Trotter and Homaro Cantu, both of whom earned a Michelin star with Griffith’s help. But since joining James Beard Award-winning chef Jonathon Sawyer at Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland, his culinary style has evolved and become, dare we say, more approachable. And when we say approachable, we don’t mean simple, as you can see from photos of his work.

So, where does Griffith find his inspiration?

“All these desserts are very personal. They all tell a story and explain a piece of my life. I was inspired by things I saw and experienced, and these desserts are the result,” he explains. Check out some of his desserts and what led to their creation.