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You may know John Bard and his work as executive pastry chef at the Lake House on Canandaigua.
In addition to desserts such as s’mores crème brûlée or a Dubai chocolate-inspired brownie with cherry gelée, Bard is also largely responsible for the creative and sometimes giant gingerbread attractions at the resort on Canandaigua Lake during the holidays.
Remember the gingerbread boat, Molasses Mariner? Or the gingerbread Lake House wedding scene that was part of the resort’s “It’s A Wonderful Life” holiday celebration? Last year tasty replicas of the historic Canandaigua Boathouses made for a truly local holiday season.
The rest of the country may soon know about Bard and his delicious desserts.
Vote for Lake House on Canandaigua executive pastry chef
Bard is competing in the Favorite Chef competition, hosted by Carla Hall of the Food Network. The online voting in this round closes at 10 p.m. July 23.
The competition started about a month ago, and through the support of friends, family and local community, he's moved into third place in his group in the quarterfinal round. And he's looking for more votes to advance to the competition's next round.
All in all, it's been exciting to be part of this "cool little adventure," Bard said, which he hopes Canandaigua and the Finger Lakes see benefits as well.
"What I do is not just about cooking and providing memories and experiences and sustenance. What I’m helping to curate is a reinvention of what we’re doing in food and pastry within the Finger Lakes," Bard said. "I think it’s a special place for food and culinary. I’m hoping that with a larger stage the scene here can really shine."
The national competition helps the James Beard Foundation and its support of programs that promote inclusivity and sustainability as well as help chefs and the broader culinary industry move to a new standard of excellence.
How to vote for the Lake House's John Bard
So far, voters seem to appreciate Bard’s signature style of taking familiar, nostalgic desserts and reinterpreting them in a modern way. In fact, the Lake House menu item Dubai chocolate-inspired brownie with cherry gelée is a hit with voters.
Should Bard win the competition, he would appear in the Taste of Home magazine, cook with celebrity chef Carla Hall on an episode of “Chewed Up” and take home $25,000.
To vote for Bard, visit https://favchef.com/2026/john-bard.
Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and other communities in Ontario County and writes the Eat, Drink and Be Murphy food and drink column. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X at @MPN_MikeMurphy.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Lake House Canandaigua pastry chef competes in Favorite Chef 2026 contest
