Pierre Hermé
Encyclopedia
Pierre Hermé is a French pastry chef
most famous for his macaron
s, often with unusual flavor combinations. French Vogue magazine dubbed him "The Picasso of Pastry."
Hermé's chocolates are also renowned. His chocolate cake made it on The Observer's "50 best things to eat in the world" list. To quote: "When Pierre Hermé first let me try his heart-shaped Chuao
cake, made with blackcurrants and a chuao couverture
from Pralus, I totally forgot where I was. It was a firework of aromas, temperatures and textures. The freshness of the fruit flirted with the roundness of the chocolate. Hermé is a genius – one of my chocolate gods. The cake is seasonal and available on demand, and now made with Valrhona, but it is still my favourite in the world."
His cooking philosophy: He prefers discreet pastry decors and "uses sugar like salt, in other words, as a seasoning to heighten other shades of flavor."
He often makes daring use of savory ingredients in his desserts: traces of balsamic vinegar, Parmesan or olives in his cakes and layered dessert creams; he has even used grilled corn in a cake.
Like some fashion designers, he creates themed seasonal collections. For example, his 1999 Autumn/Winter Collection was entitled “Café, Chocolate, Caramel”; in 2002, “Blanc Cousu Main”; in 2003, "Kawaï
".
Heir to four generations of Alsatian
bakery and pastry-making tradition, Pierre Hermé began his career at the age of 14 as an apprentice in Paris with the acclaimed pâtissier Gaston Lenôtre
, who Hermé says is his greatest influence. At age 24, he became the pastry chef at the fine food merchant Fauchon
, where he remained for 11 years. In 1997, he was involved for with the expansion of Ladurée
into a chain of luxury pastry shops. Ladurée also is renowned for their macarons.
In 1998, he started his own brand name Pierre Hermé Paris with a pastry boutique in Tokyo
's New Otani Hotel, followed in July 2000 by a Salon de Thé in the Tokyo Disney
shopping area Ikspiari
. According to Hermé, while with Ladurée his contract prohibited him from opening a place in Paris. His first Paris
boutique opened in 2002, at 72 rue Bonaparte in the Saint Germain des Prés, then in 2004 a second one at 185 rue de Vaugirard. In 2005, a flagship store opened in Tokyo's trendy Omotesando
district, with a downstairs boutique for Pierre Hermé products as well as an elegant upstairs 20-seat cafe, "Chocolate Bar". There are now seven stores in Tokyo, six in Paris, one in London
, and an online shop.
He lives in Paris's 17th arrondissement, where his office and creative workshop are close by, just next to Monceau Park
. When not in his own shops, he likes to travel around Paris visiting suppliers of his favorite Parisian foodstuffs, and finding new shops that sell products with flavors new to him.
Pierre Hermé was the youngest person ever to be named France's Pastry Chef of the Year, and is also the only pastry chef to have been decorated as a Chevalier of Arts and Letters
. He was awarded "Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur" by Jacques Chirac
on May 3, 2007, just before Nicolas Sarkozy
's election.
He has written two English-language dessert cookbooks, together with food writer Dorie Greenspan: Desserts by Pierre Hermé and Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé.
Pastry chef
A pastry chef or pâtissier is a station chef in a professional kitchen, skilled in the making of pastries, desserts, breads and other baked goods...
most famous for his macaron
Macaron
A macaron is a sweet confectionery made with egg whites, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond, and food coloring. The macaron is commonly filled with buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies. Its name is derived from an Italian word "maccarone" or...
s, often with unusual flavor combinations. French Vogue magazine dubbed him "The Picasso of Pastry."
Food
Pierre Hermé macarons are airy cookies of egg-white and almond flour, sandwiching a cream filling. Perhaps his most famous is the Ispahan, made with rose, lychee, and raspberry; he likened it as their "Chanel suit" -- the one they sell the most.Hermé's chocolates are also renowned. His chocolate cake made it on The Observer's "50 best things to eat in the world" list. To quote: "When Pierre Hermé first let me try his heart-shaped Chuao
Chuao
Chuao is a small village located in the northern coastal range of the Aragua state, in central Venezuela, some 4 Km. SSE from the shore. The village, founded in the 16th century, is famous for its cacao plantations where some of the finest cocoa beans in the world grow in the wild...
cake, made with blackcurrants and a chuao couverture
Couverture chocolate
Couverture chocolate is a very high quality chocolate that contains extra cocoa butter . The higher percentage of cocoa butter, combined with proper tempering, gives the chocolate more sheen, firmer "snap" when broken, and a creamy mellow flavor....
from Pralus, I totally forgot where I was. It was a firework of aromas, temperatures and textures. The freshness of the fruit flirted with the roundness of the chocolate. Hermé is a genius – one of my chocolate gods. The cake is seasonal and available on demand, and now made with Valrhona, but it is still my favourite in the world."
His cooking philosophy: He prefers discreet pastry decors and "uses sugar like salt, in other words, as a seasoning to heighten other shades of flavor."
He often makes daring use of savory ingredients in his desserts: traces of balsamic vinegar, Parmesan or olives in his cakes and layered dessert creams; he has even used grilled corn in a cake.
Like some fashion designers, he creates themed seasonal collections. For example, his 1999 Autumn/Winter Collection was entitled “Café, Chocolate, Caramel”; in 2002, “Blanc Cousu Main”; in 2003, "Kawaï
Cuteness in Japanese culture
Since the 1970s, cuteness, in Japanese the noun , has become a prominent aspect of Japanese popular culture, entertainment, clothing, food, toys, personal appearance, behavior, and mannerisms...
".
Biography
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
bakery and pastry-making tradition, Pierre Hermé began his career at the age of 14 as an apprentice in Paris with the acclaimed pâtissier Gaston Lenôtre
Gaston Lenôtre
Gaston Lenôtre was a French pastry chef and caterer.-Biography:Lenôtre was born in Normandy, France. His mother, Éléonore, was one of the first women chefs in Paris during the 1900s, and was the chef of the Rothschild family...
, who Hermé says is his greatest influence. At age 24, he became the pastry chef at the fine food merchant Fauchon
Fauchon
Fauchon is a French gourmet food company that was founded in 1886 by Auguste Fauchon. The company is based in Paris, France and operates retail outlets. Fauchon currently produces tea, chocolate, biscuits and sweets among other products.- History :...
, where he remained for 11 years. In 1997, he was involved for with the expansion of Ladurée
Ladurée
Ladurée is a luxury cakes and pastries brand based in :Paris, France. It is known as the inventor of the double-decker macaron, fifteen thousand of which are sold every day...
into a chain of luxury pastry shops. Ladurée also is renowned for their macarons.
In 1998, he started his own brand name Pierre Hermé Paris with a pastry boutique in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
's New Otani Hotel, followed in July 2000 by a Salon de Thé in the Tokyo Disney
Tokyo Disney Resort
is a theme park and vacation resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just east of Tokyo. It is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company with a license from The Walt Disney Company. The resort opened on April 15, 1983, as a single theme park , but developed into a resort with two theme...
shopping area Ikspiari
Ikspiari
is a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan. Owned and operated by The Oriental Land Company, it is the Japanese equivalent of the Downtown Disney complexes at the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts in the USA, and Disney Village at...
. According to Hermé, while with Ladurée his contract prohibited him from opening a place in Paris. His first Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
boutique opened in 2002, at 72 rue Bonaparte in the Saint Germain des Prés, then in 2004 a second one at 185 rue de Vaugirard. In 2005, a flagship store opened in Tokyo's trendy Omotesando
Omotesando
' is an avenue, subway station and neighborhood in the Minato and Shibuya wards in Tokyo stretching from Harajuku station, the foot of the famous Takeshita Street, to Aoyama-dori where Omotesandō station can be found. Zelkova trees line both sides of the avenue. Around 100,000 cars drive down the...
district, with a downstairs boutique for Pierre Hermé products as well as an elegant upstairs 20-seat cafe, "Chocolate Bar". There are now seven stores in Tokyo, six in Paris, one in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and an online shop.
He lives in Paris's 17th arrondissement, where his office and creative workshop are close by, just next to Monceau Park
Parc Monceau
Parc Monceau is a semi-public park situated in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France, at the junction of Boulevard de Courcelles, Rue de Prony and Rue Georges Berger. At the main entrance is a rotunda. The park covers an area of 8.2 hectares ....
. When not in his own shops, he likes to travel around Paris visiting suppliers of his favorite Parisian foodstuffs, and finding new shops that sell products with flavors new to him.
Pierre Hermé was the youngest person ever to be named France's Pastry Chef of the Year, and is also the only pastry chef to have been decorated as a Chevalier of Arts and Letters
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
. He was awarded "Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur" by Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
on May 3, 2007, just before Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
's election.
He has written two English-language dessert cookbooks, together with food writer Dorie Greenspan: Desserts by Pierre Hermé and Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé.