Timothy LAM

Pastry Chef : 1 restaurant Timothy Lam is the pastry chef at the Shangri-La Paris. With a background in several Parisian palaces, he has built a singular identity, modern and delicate, inspired by organic movements.

Presentation

Born in France, Timothy Lam spent his childhood in Barcelona, Spain. When he returned to Paris or Burgundy during the school vacations, he was delighted to sample the bakeries' pastries. Throughout the year, he tried to reproduce these memories: " From the age of 7 or 8, I tried to make chocolate éclairs or croissants. It took a while before I got the hang of choux pastry," smiles the chef. Since then, he has never abandoned this vocation.

An apprenticeship with chefs he admires

After passing his "brevet" in Spain, he moved to Paris at the age of 16 to take a CAP at Ceproc. He met his apprenticeship supervisor, Matthieu Bijou, former chef at Le Taillevent: " At the time, he was opening a store in Seine-Saint-Denis. I joined him for two years, and lived above his bakery," recalls the chef.

One thing led to another, and Timothy Lam met the chefs who had always inspired and inspired him. In particular, he developed a passion for palaces: " I first joined the Peninsula as a commis, then as demi-chef de partie. I really admired the chef, Julien Alvarez. I had stars in my eyes, I was impressed, but I felt at home in this brigade ".

He then realized a dream: to help reopen the Hôtel de Crillon. He joined the palace as commis, then demi-chef de partie, before progressing to chef de partie. Later, when Frédéric Anton took over the Jules Verne, Timothy Lam joined the team of 14 pastry chefs as sous-chef. But he missed the hotel business. He then became sous-chef at Le Bristol Paris: " I gained 10 years of experience and apprenticeship during my four years at Le Bristol. It was a revelation to work in a brigade of 30 pastry chefs ".

A turning point at Shangri-La Paris

In 2023, Timothy Lam joined the Shangri-La Paris, where he first worked alongside chef Maxence Barbot, before taking over from him. Timothy Lam takes his first position as head pastry chef in 2025: " I want to write a new history at the Shangri-La, bringing a new vision of pastry and my own personal touch ".

The chef imagines his creations with an organic approach and a certain visual lightness. Through his pastries - modern, floral, delicate - he transcribes movements and highlights the fruits of French orchards. New pastries are created every season, " except for the millefeuille, which remains on the menu all year round, but we work with different vanillas that adapt to the seasons ".