Meet, Chef Saura

Thanks to Halcyon Pastry Chef, Saura Kline, Life is Delicious. 

The Halcyon is a beloved boutique hotel known as much for its sophisticated rooms and décor as its delicious food offerings. Acclaimed as a place to see and be seen, this delightful venue draws crowds from the traveling public to locals. And in an area known for a wide array of great food, the hotel stands out for its fabulous pastries and mouthwatering desserts.

Sweet Hospitality

At the helm of the team catering to the notion that dessert is a food staple you’ll find executive pastry chef Saura Kline, a highly creative and innovative baking pro who loves nothing more than to entice patrons to sit back and savor all things sweet. From made-from-scratch pies to delicious macarons that taste as fabulous as they look, Kline is a culinary wizard when it comes to topping off a meal or providing guests with an afternoon snack.

Kline’s sweet temptations are part and parcel of the hotel’s nod to hospitality, beginning at check-in where an array of homemade muffins and pastries greet guests in the lobby. The talented team is always creating fun new treats for guests, and Kline relishes her time spent perfecting sweets for Local Jones restaurant, Rare Bird (the hotel’s popular rooftop bar), in-room amenities and in-house banquets. While menus are finalized with set offerings, seasonal changes reflect the popularity of certain items, such as mouthwatering peaches that are a summer Colorado staple.

She's Also an Author

A native Californian, Kline landed in Colorado after earning her stripes in culinary school and local restaurants. The California restaurant scene is vastly different and difficult, Kline reflects, and Colorado is much more relaxed and inviting. She has worked for some of the best, including the acclaimed Satchel’s on Sixth, and an array of Kevin Taylor restaurants (one of the area’s best-known restaurateurs). In 2017, Kline started a dessert blog, and soon inked a book deal that resulted in two fabulous cookbooks. The first, “Easy as Pie,” introduces readers to more traditional concepts, while “Pies that Inspire” is a nod to funkier new-age pies that burst with fun and innovative ingredients. Both books are available on Amazon and in bookstores, as well as through Kline’s website, sweetsaura.com

The art of desserts is intimidating to many cooks, and the best pastry chefs create as much from intuition as technical know-how. Kline was first introduced to the intricacies of baking after turning on Food Network, and her culinary career took root. After enrolling in culinary school she took a job in a barbecue restaurant, working “on the savory side” to get a foot in the door. While there she was able to work some desserts into the menu and began experimenting with different cakes and teaching herself to make pastries. That experience led her to a love of presentation, and she began developing beautifully plated desserts and artful cakes that focused on taste in tandem with appearance. “In the end, it’s fun to make pastries that not only taste great but look wonderful,” she says.

Order the Macarons

While Kline is a whiz at whipping up pretty much any type of pastry, macarons remain her favorite. “It’s fun creating new flavors and decorations and we’re always making them here. They’re one of the harder things I’ve learned to make due largely to the temperamental meringue base. They’re harder to make than a wedding cake,” she explains.” “I learned to love them when I visited France, and I was amazed by all the incredible varieties. I dug down and learned how to make them through a lot of trial and error. The dry climate in Colorado has a big effect on how they turn out and I’ve experimented with many different techniques and additives to get them just right.The Life of a Chef

After two-plus years of working at The Halcyon, Kline takes pleasure in seeing guests appreciate and savor her team’s delicious delicacies. Her day begins at 4 a.m., and she’s usually in the kitchen by 6, putting the finishing touches on the day’s fresh-baked goodies. Guests have come to love her team’s tantalizing treats, and one of the standout favorites is her 24-layer Mile High chocolate cake, which she deems a real showstopper. “There are some people who just love a really good chocolate dessert and this item is requested over and over. People also love our milk and cookies dessert, because really, who doesn’t love a great chocolate chip cookie?” she explains.

Chef's Choice

As for Kline, her favorite dessert is crème brulee, especially when made with real vanilla bean and coated with a hard custard sugar. She also is a fan of desserts that incorporate exotic fruits such as passion fruit, nectarines and guava, which lend a refreshing burst of flavor. And when she’s not in the kitchen crafting an indulgence? “I love to teach and to pass on my knowledge of pastry making to others. I learned from others for many years, and it’s gratifying to now be able to share what I’ve learned,” she says. But it’s also fun to go out and enjoy her Cherry Creek neighborhood, she adds. “I have my restaurant favorites as well,” she says. “I love North for a great date night, 801 Chophouse for cocktails and Machete for tacos, which are my favorite meal. You can never go wrong with a great taco!”

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