Meet the rising star of French pastry, Pierre-Jean Quinonero. Having trained in palaces, châteaux, and grand maisons, he left his mark by winning the title of “Pastry Chef of the Year” by La Liste and the “Dessert Passion” award from the latest MICHELIN guide.
The story
An impressive CV, Pierre-Jean Quinonero is just 29 years old, but he found time to train at Negresco in Nice, Alain Ducasse's Louis XV, Christian Le Squer's Le Cinq and Château Ferrière in the Bordeaux region; former pastry sous chef for Maxime Frédéric at Le George, with chef Simone Zanoni, he then rose to pastry chef at the Hôtel Burgundy in Paris.
©Julie Limont
In the meantime, he conquered an impressive list of achievements: in 2014 he won his first competition as best apprentice, and by 2021 he was already French Dessert Champion. Perhaps the nomination as Pastry Chef of the Year 2023 by La Liste came as a surprise to him, as he also received the Passion Dessert award from the latest MICHELIN guide.
Not bad for this artist of “all things sweet”, who showcased his ability to revitalise classics, such as the flan pâtissier, galette des rois, and tarte tatin, the most iconic apple cake, as well as other creative desserts. “Pastry is chemistry”, he says. His style is mouth-watering good but not too sweet thanks to the use of raw sugars, which bring flavor, and skill.
No wonder a prestigious establishment such as Le Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, near Nice, has set its sights on him: from the 10th of April, he will be working alongside chef Yoric Tièche, with hard task of delighting guests at the Michelin-starred bistrot La Véranda and the Club Dauphin, as well as sweeten, with his creation, celebrations, and sumptuous weddings.
As the backdrop of many iconic cinematographic scenes, the Hotel hosts some of the most glamorous locations in the Côte D’Azur: when Cap-Ferrat was still a fishermen village, it was King Leopold II of Belgium who made it famous. The transformation of the villa into a hotel date back to 1908 and immediately attracted aristocrats, tycoons, and celebrities from all over the world, thanks to the breath-taking view of the Mediterranean, amidst acres of scrubland and flowering gardens, offers world-class gastronomy.
Source: Food & Sens
