Meet Guillaume Marchand

Pastry Chef
Pastry chef at the Ritz Carlton in Dubai, Guillaume Marchand, 35, “fell” into pastry making during a course he took part in, in the Vendée (France), after having specialised in economics in secondary school!
A gourmet pastry chef
“I was instantly captivated by the technical aspect of cooking, and as I already had a very sweet tooth, I immediately decided to make a career of it. So I did an apprenticeship for two years before honing my skills through a course in chocolate confectionery. During my training, I was lucky enough to work alongside recognised professionals such as Laurent Branlard* and Jérôme Landrieux, the current Director of the Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Chicago.” Driven by a desire to discover the world, Guillaume took off for two years to work on a cruise ship, where he was soon promoted to pastry chef. He then joined the Ritz Carlton in St Thomas (Caribbean) as a chef de partie, before taking up his first job as a pastry chef at Ritz Carlton in Sarasota (Florida). He was then responsible for opening the restaurant at the Ritz Carlton in Dubai, where he has been working for a year and a half. “The competition is fierce here, because there are lots of French ex-pats. With my team of 13 staff, including four bakers, we are responsible for running three restaurants, including a French restaurant, where I can make traditional recipes, a “fine dining” steak house and a Thai restaurant. The team, which is very international, is a sort of “melting pot” where mutual respect and good humour reign. Their help is very valuable when it comes to satisfying the needs of a very international clientele.”
Simplicity, elegance and sharing
Guillaume Marchand is particularly fond of traditional pastry-making based on simple flavours, a good texture in the mouth and elegant presentation. “As I have a very sweet tooth, I believe that I should find the desserts appetising, so that I can share this pleasure with the customers”. As for products, the chef works with Elle & Vire cream and butter. “I am most satisfied with the quality of the products and the after-sales service. If I have the slightest problem, I can quickly contact someone like Ludovic Chesnay, who deals with it right away.” In conclusion, Guillaume, who would like to continue his career in Asia one day, insists on the importance of sharing knowledge and techniques. “It’s essential in the hotel business, where work is very diverse. That’s why it’s also important to be a good manager, to keep your team happy and motivated.”
* World pastry champion 2002. See portrait in the September 2011 issue of The Chef’s Web.

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