Bay Area’s ‘Best Baker’ on whimsical treats, Oprah and his grandma’s genius

Hayward's Eric Keppler is basking in the glow of his Food Network triumph

Hayward resident Eric Keppler was crowned “Best Baker in America” Monday night during the Season 3 finale of the popular Food Network series.

Keppler, the executive pastry chef at the Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley, beat out eight other extraordinary professional bakers to earn the title. He also took home a $25,000 check.

We caught up with Keppler to ask him about his future plans, how his grandmother inspired him and the joy that comes with getting your just desserts:

How’s it feel to wear the title of “Best Baker in America?

It’s a little surreal — a pretty cool thing. I can’t deny it, it’s kind of nice.

How did you celebrate?

I had some Champagne with family and friends at the hotel. It was really cool, at that moment, to be surrounded by people you love.

Any idea on how you’ll spend the money?

I got married last September and I still have a little bit of my honeymoon to pay for. I also want to start a new chocolate company that, initially, will be internet-based and will offer a limited run of chocolate bars. And we’ll make everything from scratch and add some whimsical touches. To me, (the concept) seems magical.

Your Food Network bio emphasizes that you enjoy giving your dishes unusual names. Why is that?

I think a lot of people get menu fatigue when they’re ordering their meals. By the time they get through the main courses and down to dessert, it’s often just a simple lava cake or creme brûlée’s. So I like to give the desserts fun and whimsical names to engage our guests a little more and have some fun with the menu.

(Examples: “Midnight Train,” inspired by the song “Midnight Train to Georgia,” is a Southern-style dessert with peaches; “Jasmine Masters,” named after a famous drag queen, is a blend of lemon olive oil cake and jasmine tea gelato).

On many reality TV competitions, fierce rivalries often develop between contestants. Did that happen on “Best Baker”?

Our rivalries were all in good fun. They were playful. Truly, we all became good friends pretty quickly and I think that’s because no one else can understand what you’re going through — the constant stress and time crunches the show throws at you. It’s kind of like experiencing PTSD together.

During the show, you said you had been listening to some Oprah Winfrey podcasts. How did they lessen the stress?

(Laughing). I started listening during my commutes, because traffic in the Bay Area is insane! There’s a lot of road rage on my way to and from work. I wanted to be a better human being. As for the show, my goal was to push my own boundaries and to be open and grateful for the opportunity. I highly recommend these podcasts.

For your final challenge, you had to produce an elaborate chocolate cake to mark the Fourth of July. At the core of your creation was your grandmother’s cake. Tell us about that.

The actual cake was hers, while the filling and frosting were mine. I use (her recipe) all the time and it has been one of our room-service offerings for years. She used to make it every year for my brother because it was his favorite.

Was your grandmother a big inspiration when it comes to your baking?

Absolutely. She handed me her cookbook before she passed away, and I’ve used it for a million years. It keeps me connected to her. She was a formidable woman. She taught me how to bake and she did everything from scratch — cooking, baking, sewing, embroidery … She never wanted to buy anything pre-made. She instilled in me the idea that you can make anything if you really want to.

One would assume that you get a lot of odd culinary requests from pampered Four Seasons guests. Can you share?

Your assumption is correct. As you might imagine, some guests are very particular. But to maintain their privacy, I can’t really speak about the requests. I will say, though, that my experience at the Four Seasons really helped me on the show, because you have to be very flexible and be able to create things at a moment’s notice.

So you’re having guests over for dinner in your home. What’s your go-to dessert?

Funny, I might not make dessert at all. Or if I do, it typically would be just a fudge brownie or a cookie. Just something nice and simple. Hey, I’m not working. They might expect me to make something really crazy, but I like to keep it simple and comfortable.