“Before you can make a beautiful dessert, you have to learn about the product,” says Chef Michaël Bartocetti of Shangri-La Hotel Paris. The 33-year-old Lorraine native grew up running about in the kitchen, as his Dad was a cook in the hot kitchen. “He passed on to me a lot of the passion, so that’s why I’m here, I think.” Perhaps it was because many years ago, when he first started working, it was in a small, nondescript patisserie, to this day, he prefers working with small producers. “Everything I use, I can tell you where it’s from, which person is making that. When you have a solid friendship with the producer, it’s more human, you get a wider range of ingredients to choose from.” With regards to the younger generation of chefs, he says, “If you just looked at pictures from your phone, you may think that it’s easy to make a beautiful dessert.” But the taste, it is not the same. “Taste is the first tool you have. Go out and meet the people who produce your ingredients, because if you don’t taste enough, you won’t know how to select the right flavours for your dishes.” Here, Chef Bartocetti demonstrates the technique of confiting Rocha pear in butter and honey for a plated dessert.
View more of Chef Bartocetti's creations
here.
