French Pastry

Cédric Grolet and the sweet arts

22 Apr 2018

Cédric Grolet, head pastry chef at the Hôtel Meurice, works sugar like a sculptor shapes clay, with a strong artistic sense of color. He recently opened a “store lab” inside the palace hotel, which already has a loyal following.

Any sugar addict worth the name has dreamed of eating one of the creations prepared by the prince of the pâtisserie world, Cédric Grolet. But not all, far from it, have dared to cross the threshold of the Meurice where, for several years, the young thirtysomething has been producing creations as stunningly beautiful as they are tasty, earning him 850,000 followers on Instagram, bowled over by the visual qualities of his trompe-l’œil fruits.

Cédric Grolet La Pâtisserie du Meurice par Cédric Grolet

6, rue de Castiglione, 75001, Paris www.dorchestercollection.com/fr/paris

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In this sweet orchard, you’ll find citrus fruit with every bump and notch reproduced, peaches with downy skins, and lacquered green apples. Now, these virtual admirers have a Paris store where they can discover the fruity flavors hidden under these pretty shells.

“I really wanted a place where people who know my work visually, but who are perhaps shy, could come and taste it,” explains Cédric Grolet. On rue de Castiglione, an in-house pâtissier creates “signature” marvels live.

Amid the warm, melting aromas of kugelhopfs, madeleines and cookies, the blown glass cloche and translucent displays showcase five “signature” creations of the day. Cédric Grolet has also launched a new sales concept, because the store stays open until that day’s pastries have all been sold.

“We can only produce a limited amount, due to the size of the Meurice’s lab, which we use for both places. But we offer two different selections and you won’t find at the Meurice what you can find in the Pâtisserie.” Among the delights in store are individual creations, and cakes to share, like the cult Rubik’s Cake, which you’ll need to order between 24 and 48 hours in advance.

The Meurice pâtisserie by Cédric Grolet.
A partir de midi. Fermé le lundi.