A little sweetness at the table

When it comes to patisserie, tasting begins with the eyes! Before the pleasure of the taste buds, comes the pleasure of contemplating these sweet creations, some of which are veritable works of art. So what better way to sublimate them than in a showcase worthy of the name? We've all been there: in a tea room, who hasn't admired the refinement of the porcelain as much as the delights it offers? Invited for brunch or tea time, have you ever salivated with envy at a cake display or a cake plate?

Although they have a much smaller presence than chefs, some pastry chefs are happy to collaborate with tableware brands, both for service and for the development of preparation utensils. Pierre Hermé, for example, worked with French designer Matali Crasset as long ago as 2010 to develop the "Essentiels de pâtisserie", a range of pastry accessories. Essentiels de pâtisserie", a range of tools (cul-de-poule, whisk and spatula) and serving trays manufactured and marketed by Alessi. A few years later, the famous pastry chef-chocolatier also teamed up with Patrick Jouin on the "Argent gourmand" collection of presentation and serving dishes for Puiforcat.

Here are other collaborations that combine gustatory and visual creativity...

• Degrenne invites Philippe Conticini

If Degrenne is interested in design and calls on Philippe Starck, the company also exercises its appetite for collaborations in other sectors. Take, for example, its invitation to pastry chef Philippe Conticini. The latter is the subject of a collection of 6 dessert plates, a pie plate and a cake plate. The plates feature the chef's creations, designed by Agathe Faucheur de Battisti: saint-honoré, millefeuille, coeur fondant, paris-brest, tarte au citron, galet chocolat (for the plates), but also fraisier for the tart dish and cake d'amour for the cake dish.

• Bernardaud and Ladurée come together

When two great names in the world of tableware and gastronomy, with centuries-old expertise, meet, the result can only be delicious... This is the case for Bernardaud and Ladurée, whose partnership dates back several decades. For its establishments, Ladurée has chosen Limoges porcelain, perfectly mastered by Bernardaud, for the whiteness and brilliance that enhance the dishes. The collection is elegantly accented with pastel green, blue or pink, always mismatched, and gold edging. Ideal for tea time, the creations also accompany savory dishes.

• Serax offers sweetness to Roger van Damme

In 2020, pastry chef Roger van Damme bought the famous Antwerp tea room Désiré de Lille, now known as Désirée. Here, he offers a whole new sweet experience with brasserie, tea room and boutique. For his tableware, he has chosen Serax, with sober, elegant lines for his service.Although I myself am a fan of white tableware, for Désirée I wanted to add that little touch of softness in the form of a warm pinkish hue," explains Roger van Damme. The golden rim should accentuate this sense of luxury in the pastry, without falling into kitsch."

• Sylvie Coquet invites herself to the chefs' table

Sylvie Coquet's Feeling's factory in the Limousin countryside is the setting for original creations and haute couture service. No less was needed to seduce the great names in patisserie. She worked alongside chef Sébastien Vauxion, who opened Sarkara in Courchevel, a restaurant dedicated exclusively to pastries. She has also worked with pastry chef Gilles Marchal, for whom she designed madeleine molds in Limoges porcelain bearing the chef's handwriting in gold leaf. Her creations are also featured at the Villa René Lalique restaurant in Wingen-sur-Moder...