Underbelly's pastry chef making name for herself at young age

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The executive chef and owner of Underbelly is the most recent recipient of the James Beard Award based on his accomplishments. But there's a hidden gem in the kitchen that's part of the secret to his success.

"You absolutely have her to thank," Underbelly executive chef and owner Chris Shepherd said.

The restaurant's sous/pastry chef is 23-year-old Victoria Dearmond, and she's already making a name for herself in the culinary world.

"She's kind of like the glue that holds everything together here," Shepherd said of Dearmond.

You could say Dearmond started baking professionally at age 11 in the kitchen with her five siblings.

"We made Italian cream cakes to raise money for them to go on mission trips," Dearmond said.

Today, her cakes and confections are still right on the money. They're guest favorites at the nationally acclaimed restaurant, and the desserts are all her own.

"It was never like, here's a recipe book and you can start with that. Everything was mine from day one," Dearmond said. "It's basically stuff I grew up with. That's where my inspiration comes from."

Dearmond graduated from high school at age 16, went to college at 17, and came home after a year and enrolled in culinary school, against mom's wishes.

Now at 23, she is one of the city's youngest successful chefs and her mom is eating her own words.

"She's very proud. She probably tells more people than I do," Dearmond said.

Victoria's Buttermilk Pie Recipe

Crust:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 TB sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 8 oz cold butter, cut into cubes
• 1 tsp distilled vinegar
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup ice water

1. Mix flour, sugar and salt together.
2. Using a pastry cutter or your hand, mix in the cold butter making sure to leave butter chunks throughout.
3. Combine the vinegar and ice water adding to the mix a little at a time until the dough comes together.
4. Put dough in fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
5. After dough is chilled, roll out to 1/4" thick and place in a 9" pie pan.
6. Poke holes throughout dough with a fork to release steam and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.

Filling:

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 TB flour
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 lemon, juice
• Fresh nutmeg as garnish (optional)

1. Melt the butter and allow to cool slightly.
2. Combine eggs sugar and salt in a bowl with a whisk and slowly pour in the butter while whisking.
3. Whisk in flour until combined, then add the rest of the ingredients.
4. Pour into the par baked pie shell; if using nutmeg grate on top of the pie before putting into the oven.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn oven down to 325 degrees and continue to bake until the pie is golden brown and set, about 30-40 minutes.
6. Allow to cool before serving, enjoy room temperature or cold.