Nicholas Forte of Tao Group Hospitality secured gold at the 2026 Pastry World Cup Americas Selection in New Orleans, earning Team USA a spot at the international finals in Lyon, France this January.
Nicholas Forte, a Las Vegas native and corporate pastry chef for Tao Group Hospitality, has propelled Team USA into the global pastry spotlight—by carving an ice raptor out of a single block, on his first-ever attempt at competitive ice sculpting. Forte’s unexpected triumph at the 2026 Pastry World Cup Americas Selection in New Orleans didn’t just earn him a gold medal; it secured Team USA’s place at the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie in Lyon, France this coming January.
For a city that thrives on spectacle and reinvention, Forte’s win is a reminder that Las Vegas talent is shaping the international culinary stage in real time.
How Forte Landed on Team USA
Forte’s journey to the world’s most prestigious pastry competition began far from the Strip’s neon. After graduating from pastry school in Chicago, he honed his craft at the Michelin-starred Joël Robuchon before joining Tao Group Hospitality, where he now oversees dessert innovation across the company’s West Coast restaurants. Despite his experience with chocolate and sugar, Forte had never entered a pastry competition—let alone attempted an ice sculpture—before being tapped for Team USA’s three-chef squad.
Each team member was assigned a specialty: chocolate, sugar, or ice. Forte drew ice. The challenge: transform a 20-inch square block into a showpiece in just 90 minutes. The team’s theme, Jurassic Relics, inspired Forte to carve a raptor, using four separate fusions to assemble the head and tail for a dramatic, oversized effect. He spent hours practicing in the freezer of Tao’s specialty ice supplier, pushing himself to master a medium he’d never tackled professionally.
Inside the Competition and What’s Next
The Americas Selection, held in July in New Orleans, brought together top pastry chefs from across the continent. Forte’s raptor sculpture, combined with his teammates’ chocolate and sugar showpieces, clinched the gold for Team USA. The victory means the team will represent the United States at the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie in Lyon, France, where they’ll compete against 20 other countries in January 2026.
Preparation for the world finals is already underway. Forte and his teammates are now focused on adapting to the logistical hurdles of an international competition—shipping equipment, adjusting to unfamiliar kitchen setups, and working with European tools and electrical systems. The stakes are higher, the field more competitive, and the margin for error razor-thin.
Las Vegas Creativity on the World Stage
Forte credits his role at Tao Group Hospitality for fostering the kind of creativity that made his win possible. “A huge part of what we do at Tao Group is coming up with the next innovative, Instagrammable dessert,” Forte said. The company’s emphasis on custom, visually striking desserts has kept its Las Vegas venues at the forefront of the city’s dining scene—and given Forte a platform to experiment with new techniques and presentations.
Representing Las Vegas on Team USA carries personal weight for Forte, who has spent most of his career training and working in the city’s kitchens. He sees the opportunity not just as a personal milestone, but as a chance to showcase the depth of talent and ambition that defines the Las Vegas hospitality industry.
Editorial Perspective: Las Vegas Talent, Global Impact
Forte’s rapid ascent from local pastry chef to international competitor is more than a feel-good story—it’s a case study in how Las Vegas continues to export culinary innovation far beyond the Strip. The city’s hospitality sector isn’t just following global trends; it’s producing chefs who can improvise, adapt, and win on the world’s toughest stages. As Team USA heads to Lyon, Forte’s journey underscores why Las Vegas remains a proving ground for the next generation of hospitality leaders. The city’s creative engine isn’t slowing down—and neither are the chefs who call it home.
