The executive pastry chef at the exclusive Le Meurice, Cédric Grolet, has unveiled his first pastry boutique under the arcades of the hotel at 6 rue de Castiglione in Paris. At just 32 years of age, Grolet is one of the most talked-about pâtissiers, also voted the best restaurant pastry chef in the world by Les Grandes Tables du Monde. The primary objective behind this project was the eagerness to share the young rockstar pastry chef’s talent with a broader audience, which was up until recently exclusively limited to the hotel’s clientele.

Local multi-disciplinary practice Ciguë, and a Yellowtrace favourite, was commissioned to bring this contemporary patisserie to life.

The project flips the idea of customs and traditions on its head by inviting the back-of-house to the front of the store. The centrepiece of the boutique is a long counter made from enamelled lava stone, serving as a central stage for the creation process of live pastry making.

The back wall hosts a collection of jarred raw ingredients like pistachio butter, preserved lemons, coffee beans, nuts and so forth, all of which are used during the preparation of the sweet delicacies. Located behind the shopfront window, a series of hand-blown glass domes display individual finished items, elevating them into an art form.

The architectural language of the project strikes a delicate balance between poetic minimalism that embodies Ciguë’s approach, and the prestigious setting of the Meurice. The white enamelled lava stone counter, Parisian plastered walls and brushed brass used for the main wall display and all hardware details create a crisp yet tactile backdrop.

Ultimately, La pâtisserie du Meurice was conceived as a jewellery case for Cédric Grolet’s precious creations, where, as a reflection of the chef’s own philosophy, the tradition was challenged and transformed.

[Images courtesy of Ciguë. Photography by Maris Mezulis.]