A Pastry Superhero

Interview with Chistophe Michalak

Celebrity Pastry Chef at the 3-starred Plaza Athénée, Paris

Bob Kennedy once stated that “There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?” There is no better quote to define the style and philosophy of celebrity chef Christophe Michalak. Christophe is a dreamer with an obsession to constantly create highly original and extremely creative pastries and cakes. I recently read that he changes his recipes daily so that a client could, theoretically, come in regularly and never eat the same thing twice. His ultimate goal is to catch that priceless glimpse of sheer pleasure in the eyes of his clients. Chef Michalak took us through his impressive culinary career and shared with us the secret behind his desirable sweets such as the Religieuse au Caramel Beurre Salé, the Peach Melba Macarons or the famous Marshmallow Love Bears.

Q: How did your journey in the world of pastry take off?

A: I think everything changed when I won the World Pastry Cup. The medialization reached its height at this moment. It was when I started to communicate a lot about my work.

Q: I read you are obsessed with comic books and super heroes. Who is your favourite super hero?

A: It is difficult to answer… I love them all! However if I had to choose just one, maybe it is Captain America. I really appreciate his honesty and his benevolence.

Q: You often stress on the fact that your job creates emotions. Can you elaborate?

A: In Paris, there are many excellent pastry chefs so there is a lot of competition. My goal is to create intense emotions with textures and tastes but especially to be coherent. I am an entrepreneur without partner so I progress at my own pace. I have to be careful.

Q: How would you define your style in three words?

A: Elegant…Balanced…Emotional

Q: I read you hate “everything that is very creamy, mousse-y or gelatinous”. Why?

A: There are two reasons for this. First of all, I definitely prefer crunchy textures to creamy ones and the second is because the more I use gelatine, the more I mask the flavor of ingredients and I do not like that.

Q: In a recent interview you emphasized on your mission to make pastries, cakes and desserts that are more accessible, less fattening and less sweet than the classic French “haute pâtisserie“. Why are you pushing this new approach?

A: I move with the time. I want to eat better with products that are good for my body but also good for my taste buds. I have stopped using pork gelatin and non-natural food colourings. Most of my cakes are made without wheat flour and I removed 20% of sugar.

Q: What does summer mean to you?

A: Summer is synonymous with family holidays, sun and of course… ice cream, which is one of my favourite sweet treats!

Q: Which ingredient do you associate with this time of the year?

A: I am currently working on a tart with gianduja, coffee and licorice as main ingredients.

Q: A word of advice to amateur pastry chefs?

A: My word of advice is to work with your heart, do not count your hours and enjoy!