Jérôme De Oliveira, inspired by Nature

“Nature is essential”

Jérôme, what are the values that guide you as a Pastry Chef?  

The values that guide me are really respect for the products, quality, sourcing, trying to respect seasonality as much as possible. And obviously also rigorousness, consistency… Every day, having fantastic products that really inspire you. And, I’d like to say that generosity is another one, trying, through my creations, to share something with my customers.

 

What does Nature signify for you in your work?  

It is Nature that gives us the finest of raw materials. More than anything else, you need to start off with really good raw materials to be able to make good desserts. So that is really the backbone for us in our profession.

 

And what role does it play in your creations?  

Nature plays a major role. Nature is what really gives flavour. And whatever I might be creating, it really is Nature that inspires me, that guides me in my quest for flavour and how to express it. Nature is a true source of inspiration on a daily basis.  

 

You work with Elle & Vire Professionnel® Excellence Cream. How would you describe this cream?  

Elle & Vire Professionnel® Excellence Cream comes from Normandy, of course, and that is the specific, unique flavour I am after. First of all, I like its almost raw simplicity. I also like its very silky, white aspect. And its quality in terms of whipping, and the various textures it can lend to each of my creations. It lends roundness and delicateness as far as flavour is concerned, and gives brilliance in terms of esthetics. In fact, it both tastes and looks good.

 

And finally, does it help you take your ingredients to the next level?

Obviously. Take a fig, for example. Well, I use the fig leaves by infusing them in the cream. The fig itself gives me the fruity aspect, while with the cream infused with the characteristic flavour of fig leaf, I get a more vegetal nuance. And then I pipe the cream around my cake for the visual aspect.