Rosalie Boucher, the new signature pastry chef at Domaine Les Crayères

Domaine Les Crayères, in Reims, has a new recruit. As of August 1ᵉʳ 2023, the restaurant led by chef Philippe Mille (4 toques) has welcomed Rosalie Boucher. After seven years working alongside Cédric Grolet at Le Meurice, the 32-year-old takes her first position as pastry chef and is already asserting her distinctive style. Where does her passion for pastry come from, what's her world like and what are her desires?

What inspired you to take up pastry-making?

Rosalie Boucher: My parents are hotel-restaurateurs, so it's a world I've been immersed in for as long as I can remember. But even as a child, I had a sweet tooth and when I helped my dad, I instinctively went into pastry-making. I often compare this choice to that of an artist, who will select his material and like to sculpt bronze rather than copper. For my part, working with fish or meat has never enchanted me, whereas fruit and vegetables much more so. There's something magical about transforming them into pastry!

What do you particularly like about your job?

R.B.: Everything! When I was younger, I hesitated between medicine and pastry-making. I did almost two years of medicine before stopping, but I've rediscovered the scientific side of pastry-making... For example, it's very satisfying to see the material being transformed. The advantage of pastry-making is that you can experiment and improvise more than in medicine (laughs). It's true that when you're starting out, you have to follow rules and recipes, but with experience, feeling takes on more importance. These are the unspoken things you learn as you go along. As head pastry chef, I'm also very keen to pass on my experience. There are regularly new staff to train, encourage, motivate and, above all, develop. It's a very complete job!

Why did you want to join Domaine Les Crayères?

R.B.: The team contacted me on LinkedIn when I was looking for a job. It was the first (and only) establishment that matched all my criteria. After working at Le Meurice, I wanted to continue this gastronomic experience. I also really liked the idea of working with a chef who cooked with local produce, as well as the fact of having a diversified activity between the gastronomic restaurant, the brasserie, breakfasts, events... I didn't want to fall asleep, and it's a house that challenges me! Domaine Les Crayères is a place that allows me to express myself fully.

Arbès Production

How would you define your pastry style?

R.B. : It's still evolving, but I'd say I'm in tune with the times, using local, seasonal produce, desserts that aren't very sweet, with little fat, but with straightforward, raw flavors. I like it when you know what you're going to eat, and I like to bring forgotten things back into fashion. My current fad is cereals. I include them in almost all my creations because I find them so interesting. For example, I've imagined a dessert based on rye, which is well known in the bakery but little known in patisserie. You really discover the roundness of this product, a little like that of roasted sweet corn.

I also work a lot with aromatic herbs. I learned this from Cédric Grolet, who at the time made a strawberry tart with an absolutely incredible basil pesto. I could eat it without stopping! This discovery really made an impression on me, and I learned to season my pastries with herbs rather than spices. For example, I created a chocolate dessert with agastache. It's like a symphony: you need different notes, but you have to make sure that everything fits together so as not to get bored.

Other products, such as vanilla and exotic fruits, have no place in your patisserie!

R.B.: Yes, I banned them because when our customers come to Domaine Les Crayères, they want a local experience. For me, it didn't make sense to put pineapple or banana on the menu, when nearby you can find peaches, pears, figs... Philippe Mille 's cuisine is based on local produce, with an identifiable terroir, so I wanted to bring consistency to the whole menu. This encourages me to make new discoveries and explore the terroir!