Fabrice GILLOTTE

Considered one of France's finest chocolatiers, Fabrice Gillotte has never stopped innovating and challenging himself.

Presentation

A pastry chef by training, Fabrice Gillotte has been considered one of France's most gifted chocolatiers for some thirty years. Meilleur ouvrier de France chocolatier-confiseur in 1990 (the year this speciality was created in the competition), he remembers starting out in a tiny workshop with simple household equipment.Today, he runs an XXL chocolate factory, probably one of the most modern in the world, in Norges-la-Ville, near Dijon, rebuilt after being completely destroyed by a terrible fire in 2021.

A constant challenge

Voted one of France's top five chocolatiers in our magazine in 2012, Fabrice Gillotte has never ceased to innovate, inventing new recipes while always being curious about new techniques and trends. "My son Julien, who is not a pastry chef but joined us in 2010 after specializing in marketing and international trade, has brought a fresh perspective to my work. We have to challenge ourselves every day, find new ideas, and draw inspiration from the world around us, not just the world of gastronomy. Everything can be a source of inspiration."

In 2023, opening of a patisserie in the heart of Dijon

At the end of 2023, this hyperactive man will open a new boutique in Dijon. "It's a patisserie we've christened Beurre Noisette, just a few steps away from our chocolate boutique. Of course, everything is homemade, especially the pastries. Above all, I've chosen to focus on pastries made with dough - I hate raw, floury dough. Pastry is the basis of a pastry chef's craft, and we all too often forget that."