Chef John Kraus has been an instructor at The French Pastry School since August 2002. He began his career in London at the Dorchester Hotel. In the kitchen there, he worked with the Boulangers. Kraus next worked under Chef Michel Perraud, Meilleur Ouvrier de Grande Bretagne, and contributed to the opening of the Michelin star restaurant, Fleur de Sel. He continued to assist the pastry chef there in an unofficial capacity.

Upon his return to the U.S., Chef Kraus worked in pastry with Chef Robert Waggoner at the famed five-star, five-diamond Wild Boar restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee. He was thenappointed Executive Pastry Chef at the exclusive Magnolia restaurant under Chef Emile Labrousse. He is best known in Chicago for the innovative desserts he created while serving as Pastry Chef at NoMI restaurant in the Park Hyatt Hotel Chicagop.

At the 2004 Food Network’s Chocolate Challenge in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Chef John Kraus was declared the winner with his sculpture titled “Love Takes Flight”. His dramatic chocolate sculpture showcased his unique artistic skills and demonstrated a sound knowledge of chocolate.