Coline Doussin, the new pastry chef at Le Saint James

Here's a pastry talent you're going to be hearing a lot about! At just 25 years of age, Coline Doussin is the new head pastry chef at the Saint James Hotel in Paris. Before taking up this position, the young woman followed an impeccable career path in some of France's most prestigious establishments. What is her background? And what does she plan to do for the sweet side of the Saint James? Coline Doussin tells us all about it.

Coline Doussin: a clear-cut path

Originally from Lambesc, near Aix-en-Provence, Coline Doussin developed her love of pastry-making during an immersion course with chef Patrick Nice, when she was just 15. After obtaining her BAC, the young woman completed a Bachelor's degree in Entrepreneurship and Culinary Arts at the Ferrandi Paris hotel school, before joining some of the finest brigades.

Coline Doussin took her first steps in the professional world at the Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme, under Jimmy Mornet, then at the Ed.em restaurant (2 toques) in Chassagne Montrachet, under Émilie Rey, or at the Maison Pic in Valence, under Éric Verbauwhebe. She then gained further experience at MAM and La Scène (4 toques), working alongside Pierre Chirac and Stéphanie Le Quellec, before becoming demi-chef de partie at Cheval Blanc Paris, under the tutelage ofArnaud Donckele and Maxime Frédéric. Before joining the Saint James, she had become pastry chef at the Auberge Nicolas Flamel alongside chef Gregory Garimbay and sous-chef Maxime Nourrissat, both of whom also head up the kitchens at Saint James Paris. "It's a beautiful house with a lot of potential. We have a real laboratory, a great team and a management team that supports us in our projects. It's very encouraging", says the pastry chef.

Coline Doussin's pastry shop

Having arrived at Le Saint James in March 2024, Coline Doussin already has a singular pastry, putting the product first. "I like to focus on a single product per dessert. Right now, for example, I'm working with grapefruit. I keep the zest in confit, I also make a juice, a sorbet, a sauce, I also keep it fresh. Once I have all the elements, I ask myself what would enhance it, like a spice or an herb. Here, I combine grapefruit with pink berries, but they remain a simple accompaniment", explains the pastry chef. Her signature dessert? Chocolate and pine needles, with Nicolas Berger 65% chocolate. "I acquired my knowledge of herbs and spices through my experiences, notably at Thoumieux but also Anne-Sophie Pic. For this dessert, a small producer picks the pine needles in the Vosges and sends them to me. I use them to make a sorbet, but also to smoke the chocolate. Contrary to what you might think, it's a light dessert and not at all nauseating", assures Coline Doussin.

Yann Deret

For the future, the pastry chef at Le Saint James has plenty of projects in mind. "Ofcourse, I'd like to raise the level of pastry-making in the Bellefeuille restaurant, but I'd also like to put more of my stamp on the hotel's various outlets, such as breakfast and the more classic lunchtime desserts. I'm also working on the menu for the terrace, which will open in mid-May. We'll be offering a range of ice creams and sorbets, topped with toppings and sauces. I'd also like to offer a real tea-time menu, create a more elaborate in-room welcome, and come up with travel cakes that could be offered to customers at the end of their meal, and enjoyed at breakfast the next day, to prolong the experience. I'm moving forward slowly but surely," promises Coline Doussin.