Laurent Duchêne MOF
Native of the Loire Valley, Laurent Duchêne turns towards the universe of pastry with natural enthusiasm. After his apprenticeship in Paris, he works in the most renowned patisseries of the time, Millet and Peltier. At the age of 30, he is consecrated “best craftsman of France” in pastry. He adds other strings to his bow by travelling abroad, becoming head pastry chef of the starred British Restaurant “le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons” in Oxford, and then globetrotting teacher at the “Cordon bleu” international cooking school.
But when you speak about Laurent Duchêne, you cannot forget to mention the beautiful meeting with Kyoko, who will become his wife and his collaborator; Kyoko Duchêne learned about pastry in her native Japan, and her desire to discover French gastronomy brought her to Paris. The creativity of Laurent complements Kyoko's rigorous codes… Quite naturally, they called their second shop “la pâtisserie de Kyoko”. Though they do everything together, Laurent takes more care of the bakery/pastry side while Kyoko has become a chocolate princess. Her creations are recognized among the 15 best of France by the very select “Club des croqueurs de chocolat” (The Chocolate Munching Club).
"We have the instinct to marry the flavors and the textures", explains Laurent Duchêne. "Our candies are just like miniature cakes." In his shops, Laurent proposes magnificent sophisticated cakes, allying tradition and creativity, like the “Rubis”, a sponge cake with almonds flavored with raspberry and a light foam of white chocolate… or the “Equinox”, ganache with coriander, chocolate-lime foam and dacquoise chocolate, which garnered such a success that Laurent and Kyoko decided to transform it into a candy in which the lemon and the coriander counterbalance the powerful taste of the ganache. The great classics of the pastry are also present. At the time of such intense competition between pastry chefs in the media, Laurent and Kyoko Duchêne know how to remain discreet, though stand out as talented masters.
