Please wait

Contact

37-39 rue Boissière
75016 Paris
France

Phone : 01 41 40 99 80

GaultMillau © 2025 All rights reserved

Un pâtissier, un artiste: a collab

Un pâtissier, un artiste: a collab

Anne Debbasch | 12/8/22

Gault&Millau begins a series of "sweet" cross-portraits to share the behind-the-scenes story of two creative partners. Far from being commissioned, these collaborations are born of conversation, dialogue and free exchange. First meeting: Pierre Hermé, pastry chef, and Octave Marsal, artist, who together imagined a Christmas collection.

Beyond all the collaborations that are flourishing today, Pierre Hermé is one of the pioneers. He has always cultivated audacity and difference, with pleasure as his only guide. He doesn't just interpret existing recipes, but also creates new ones. Three pillars define his style: the creation of seasonal collections, the exploration of flavors and the introduction of an aestheticism that breaks with traditional pastry-making.

An original approach to the craft that led him, from the 1990s onwards, to invite art into his own universe. His imagination is nourished by encounters. The artisan and the artist become one. Pierre Hermé imposes nothing, but offers the artist a unique setting for expression.

Gault&Millau: How did the idea for your first collaboration come about?

Pierre Hermé: It goes back to the late 1980s, when I asked Philippe Starck to design a sculpture for the Salon de la Gastronomie in Colmar, a challenge made of sugar and chocolate, the result of which turned out to be mediocre. Far from being discouraged, I became interested in art and design. Then I started looking for a stylist who could design a cake that would break away from the usual shapes. It was with Yan Pennor's, in 1993, that we imagined the "Cerise sur le Gâteau", which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2023. I already had in mind the tastes, the milk chocolate, the hazelnuts, the sensation of freshness. He designed this pastry, at once very different and very similar to a slice of cake.

Octave Marsal: My very first contribution was with the Royal College of Music in London, where I was lucky enough to do a synchronized performance with the prestigious school's baroque orchestra on a Bach concerto for two violins. It's quite incredible to be able to marry two very distinct arts with such precision. From that moment on, I understood the richness of collaborations.

G&M: What's so special about these encounters?

P. H.: I work with artists from a wide variety of backgrounds: sculptors, photographers, designers, draughtsmen, architects, writers... Each collaboration is different. From the conversations we have together, each creator brings his or her own vision, the original, unique character of his or her creations.

O. M.: Being able to marry two worlds brings great rigor and ideas that wouldn't otherwise have arisen. There's a mutual enrichment, and it professionalizes our work as artists. Generally speaking, it all starts with a very open discussion, with everyone contributing their DNA and know-how.

G&M: How do you choose each other?

P. H.: There are no rules. Meetings are sometimes fortuitous, sometimes deliberate, sometimes unexpected. This allows the exchange to flow freely. Since the early 1990s, I've worked with a host of artists, whether on store decoration, books or tableware. I've also drawn inspiration from the creations of deceased artists such as François Pompon, always in consultation with their families. These encounters are infinitely rich.

O. M.: I like to explore new playgrounds. I've been working with Hermès for some time now, but also with Bob Marley's family. As for Pierre Hermé, I was seduced by his collection with Philippe Baudelocque. That's how I got in touch with him. When I discovered that he drew his pastries, it took me back to the work of Christian Dior, a time when drawing played a much more important role than it does today. Pierre Hermé thinks of his creations like an architect. The art is still quite elitist, but his work speaks to everyone. My drawing had to follow this direction.

G&M: Collaboration, freedom or constraint?

P. H.: It's all about freedom. You have to succeed in abolishing constraints, and that's acquired through exchange and dialogue. Everyone contributes their know-how to create something common. Octave had already done some drawings of Paris, but I wanted something different, a sublimated, dreamlike Paris, where you could see the City of Light in a single glance.

O. M. : The constraint is the one you want to put on yourself, generally before starting a project. After my conversations with Pierre Hermé, I produced a first drawing which was rejected, because I had given too dark a vision. So I reinterpreted Pierre Hermé's idea of finding the Parisian monuments through a drawing that could be read in all directions. The freedom was total - I had this Paris of my dreams.

638db6e3e7fcdb48f514873d

G&M: Do these collaborations have an impact on your respective creations?

P. H.: Artists rarely influence my taste. It only happened once, when I worked with my friend Jean-Michel Duriez. His profession as a perfumer led us to converse about flavors, and out of this came a book, then a multitude of creations, such as the "Macaron Jardin Œillet", for which I recomposed my vision of the flower. When combined with other disciplines, patisserie takes on a whole new dimension.

O. M.: Pierre Hermé brought me even more rigor. I was surprised by his knowledge and artistic culture. Each of us, with our own sources - for my part, eighteenth-century engraving, with Piranèse, or Dürer - succeeded in finding the right analogy between the drawing and his creations. There are many similarities between drawing and haute pâtisserie. Each of us, in our own way, takes up the past to recreate the present.

G&M: Are there any impossible collaborations?

P. H.: I've never been confronted with that. I'm convinced that there are no rules. Most of the time, encounters are unexpected. The exchange, the dialogue, allows us to build on what comes next.

O. M.: The more unlikely a collaboration seems, the more interesting it is! The best encounters are often the most surprising. The one with Pierre Hermé was one of those. It will remain engraved in my memory. It's the only collaboration I'll ever do with a pastry chef. I take great pride in this negative drawing and its color treatment on the boxes. In the same way, the "Tout-Paris" log is not a representation of my design; it symbolizes the alliance between our two worlds. Pierre Hermé has made it possible for architecture to become a log, and cutting a Haussmann log is very powerful in my eyes.

The other Pierre Hermé news, his biography: Pierre Hermé, toutes les saveurs de la vie. L'Odyssée d'un pâtissier de génie, published by Buchet-Chastel, 2022.

These news might interest you

Orleans vinegar Craftsmen & Know-How

Orleans vinegar

Created on the banks of the Loire, Orléans vinegar has long been known throughout France and on the tables of kings. In the 18th century, during its golden age, the city was home to several hundred artisan vinegar makers. Today, Maison Martin-Pouret is the only company to have maintained this tradition since 1797.
Seaweed bliss Craftsmen & Know-How

Seaweed bliss

Jean-Marie and Valérie Pédron gather, preserve and process seaweed from the Guérande peninsula, delivering it to France's top chefs. The couple also aim to democratize the use of this coastal treasure, which is rarely used in cooking.
Jade Genin transforms Easter eggs into works of art Craftsmen & Know-How

Jade Genin transforms Easter eggs into works of art

For Easter, Jade Genin transforms chocolate into an exceptional sculpture. Blooma, her latest creation, is as fascinating to contemplate as it is to taste.
Craftsmen & Know-How

Ebony treasure from The Peninsula Paris For Easter, Anne Coruble has created a trompe-l'oeil that's truer than life, with its curves of black garlic and subtle caramelized taste. Beneath a shell of 40% Madagascar milk chocolate, eight cloves enclose a candied black garlic ganache and hazelnut praline. A precious creation that opens without being broken, so hesitant is it to open. Price: 95 euros Pre-order from March 29 and on sale from April 12. The turtle candy box from Manufacture Ducasse Set a course for the Mediterranean with this turtle-shaped bonbonnière made entirely of chocolate, from base to lid. inside are "turtle nuggets" combining vanilla marshmallow and hazelnut praline, as well as coconut praline bells. Price: 67 euros À la mère de famille hens À la mère de famille carries on the tradition with its chocolate hens, available in several sizes and named after the owners and their families who have marked the history of the house (Hélène, Julia, Adélaïde, Jane and Claude). Two recipes: a dark chocolate with woody, earthy notes, and a milk chocolate with milk and caramel accents. inside, an assortment of butterflied praline eggs, praline fritures and dry fritures. Price: 19 to 122 euros depending on format available from March 17, 2025 The Cheval Blanc Paris Easter bell Maxime Frédéric imagines a bell in motion, in homage to Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Its dark chocolate base conceals a tablet filled with vanilla caramel and crispy hazelnut praline. The milk chocolate belfries enclose a praline tablet, while the yoke houses chocolate-coated caramelized hazelnuts. The dark chocolate bell is transformed into a mendiant, studded with dried and candied fruit. Price: 135 euros Edwart Chocolatier Three mischievous animals are part of Edwart's Easter collection: Yara, the lively, inquisitive bird, Eloa, the dreamy frog, and Taïno, the mischievous, playful monkey. All made from Grands Crus cocoa, for a playful blend of indulgence and character. Credit: Edwart Spring takes flight at Waldorf Astoria Versailles - Trianon Palace Eddie Benghanem has created a poetic tribute to spring: a little bird perched on a tree trunk with delicate sugar flowers. inside, an alliance of dark chocolate, chocolate almond cake, dark ganache and crunchy praline. Price: 45 euros Capon Head for Chaponie, where jungle animals come to life in chocolate. Léonard the leopard in milk chocolate, Suzy the zebra in white chocolate, Zoé the bonobo in milk chocolate, Bob the bear in dark chocolate. All deliciously garnished with fried food. Price: 19 euros each Cédric Grolet's trompe-l'œil chocolates Almond, hazelnut, peanut and pecan: five dried fruits sublimated in trompe-l'œil. Beneath a crunchy chocolate shell, a praline made from the fruit in question, with a hint of fleur de sel. Available in S and M sizes. Size S: 30 euros Size M: 50 euros from March 26, pre-order on our website Claire Heitzler's Bibis Chef Claire Heitzler has created three chocolate bears, tenderly nicknamed Les Bibis. Milk, dark or white, each contains an assortment of three-chocolate and praline chips. Cyril Lignac Farm animals take center stage in this collection by Cyril Lignac: hens, pigs and sheep in crunchy chocolate, topped with praline eggs and mini chocolate bears. Available in dark, milk or dulcey versions. Available from March 27 Maison Boissier lace cats This year, Maison Boissier pays tribute to felines with a box of two cats in dark and milk chocolate, finely sculpted and filled with sweet treats. Price: 125 euros Cagnes Sheep, bunny and hen take shape in dark or milk chocolate. Under their shells, a heart of chocolate chips and crunchy marbles. starting at 20 euros Arnaud Larher MOF Arnaud Larher unveils a collection of four whimsical creatures, all topped with fritures. Kim the parrot in white chocolate and Ruby, René the elephant in caramel chocolate, Émilie the gorilla in intense dark chocolate, and Élio the lion in white chocolate and caramel. Prices: from 35 to 64 euros from March 20
Exceptional eggs from chefs and artisans for Easter 2025 Craftsmen & Know-How

Exceptional eggs from chefs and artisans for Easter 2025

Chefs and artisans reinvent the Easter egg with creations as surprising as they are refined. Unexpected shapes and daring flavors, discover our selection.
Flan Craftsmen & Know-How

Flan

A baker's dessert par excellence, the flan has returned to center stage in recent years, and social networks have made it a veritable gourmet star. Pastry chefs have seized upon it, bringing their know-how and high technical standards to the table.

Food products, kitchen equipment, tableware, service solutions...

See the full list of partners who place their trust in Gault&Millau

All our partners
Become a Partner
LEARN MORE