- By Charlotte Brown
- October 09, 2024
ORIGINALLY FROM LYON, AURÉLIEN RIVOIRE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT PASTRY, HAVING FIRST OBTAINED HIS C.A.P. IN 2005, BEFORE GOING ON TO OBTAIN A MENTION COMPLÉMENTAIRE (ONE YEAR COURSE). IN 2008, HE OBTAINED HIS B.T.M. AT THE AGE OF 21, HE BEGAN HIS CAREER IN CATERING AT THE COUR DES LOGES IN LYON AS CHEF DE PARTIE. HE THEN MOVED TO PARIS WHERE HE JOINED CHEF JÉRÔME BANCTEL AT LUCAS CARTON. IN 2012, AURÉLIEN RIVOIRE JOINED THE SWEET TEAM AT LUXURY PARISIAN HOTEL, LE MEURICE, WHERE HE FORMED PART OF A PASTRY DREAM-TEAM, FIRST FOR CAMILLE LESECQ AND THEN CÉDRIC GROLET: YOANN CARON, MAXIME FRÉDÉRIC, NINA MÉTAYER OR JOANNA LE PAPE.
Text by Gilbert Pytel, photos by Simon Detraz & Ilya Kagan @ilyafoodstories (Featured in the October 2024 issue of Pastry1 Magazine)
In the spotlight
honoring a newsworthy chef
In 2014, he became pastry chef for the Yannick Alléno group, opening 1947 Cheval Blanc in Courchevel for Cheval Blanc and Alléno Paris, two three-starred restaurants. At the end of 2021, Aurélien Rivoire and Yannick Alléno combine their skills to open their first chocolate shop in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.
In 2014, you found yourself as pastry chef of the Yannick Alléno group. Despite these prestigious positions, we don’t hear much about you in the media, why is this?
Aurélien Rivoire : “You’re absolutely right. It took me a while to feel comfortable in front of journalists. First, I needed to find my own style and identity as a pastry chef. For a long time, I was content to take a back seat. Generally speaking, I’ve never been the first to put myself out there. Most of my time was spent trying to create recipes no one else was making. In fact, I’m always on the lookout for the perfect taste combinations. As pastry chef at the Pavillon Ledoyen, I above all wanted
to please the customers who came in.
I'm always on the lookout for the perfect taste combinations
Day-to-day at the restaurant: I loved going around the tables and discussing my desserts with people. Throughout this period, Chef Alléno also shielded me from some of the media attention, which enabled me to focus on what mattered. He nurtured me with his techniques and tales of the food industry, and I was also able to observe the way he worked with journalists. So I gradually structured my speech to be as clear as possible in my explanations. Even though it may have taken longer to build a reputation, I think it was exactly the right timing for me.”
Many people discovered your work when your first cookbook came out in 2018: “Itinéraire d’un chef pâtissier” – how did you feel about this initial media attention?
AR: “From approval to publication, this book took me a whole year of work. It includes recipes that perfectly sum up my varied career, from an apple beignet to a fir tree extraction in an iced coffee jelly . Ever the perfectionist, I think the end result could have been developed even further. In retrospect, I think I wasn’t yet mature enough to offer work that was 100% me.”
In 2012, you were named pastry chef of the year by Gault & Millau and, in 2020, you were included in the Michelin Guide’s “Passion Dessert” promotion, how does it feel?
AR: “Of course. And even if this wasn’t a goal in itself, my team members and I really enjoyed working on this project. I’m also proud of being able to show Chef Yannick Alléno that he was right to believe in me. On the other hand, I’m aware that I still have a lot to learn in order to continue to grow in the business.”
On December 16, 2021, you’ll be on the front line with the opening of your luxury chocolatier Alléno & Rivoire. Was it difficult to put yourself out there?
AR: “Not really, because I had spent several months preparing for this opening. I finally felt ready to present my creations and my philosophy. With this boutique, we find ourselves up against the likes of skilled chocolatiers such as Patrick Roger and Jacques Génin, for whom I have enormous respect. So we had to come up with different, extremely high quality products. Chef Alléno and I don’t consider ourselves to be chocolatiers exactly, but rather artisans of taste. We’ve set ourselves the goal of shaking up the world of chocolate while respecting the fundamentals of the profession. In reality, we have the responsibility of thinking about what tomorrow’s food will be like, which will have to be healthier, with less sugar and fats.”
With your low glycemic index gourmet chocolates and sugar-free fruit confits, you're totally in tune with the times, some customers want to eat less while eating better. Where does this idea come from?
AR: "Ever since I was a child, I've always loved food. My grandparents were down- to-earth people, close to the land and nature, committed to good, fresh, local produce. As a child, I learned about fruit and vegetables and was brought up with values and consideration for my surroundings. At Alléno & Rivoire, I want to offer people exceptional products that respect these core values. For chocolates, we process ganaches like sauces, using a combination of extractions and cryoconcentration. For my fruit confit, I have succeeded in developing a sucrose-free preservation technique using birch sap. By removing the sugar, we are able to concentrate the flavors and reveal the true nature of a product. Even though we’ve removed the sucrose, we’ve retained all the flavor. What's more, by working with the different seasonal fruits, using local supply chains and fully ripened fruits, we're trying to respond to current ecological concerns."
I was brought up with values and to consider everything around me
How do you manage your new-found fame?
AR: "Quite simply because I love discussing my passion for all things sweet with my customers, whoever they may be. When I see young apprentices come up and compliment me, it's a real source of pride. If I could motivate people to do this job, I'd be the happiest of men."
Do you enjoy talking to journalists?
AR: "Most of the journalists I meet are very positive about my products. I like doing interviews, discussing things and stating my case, it also sometimes changes my point of view."
You’ve also appeared in several TV reports about the chocolate factory, are you comfortable in front of the camera?
AR: "Not really, but I'm working on it (laughs). That said, I prefer to remain natural and authentic rather than play a role that doesn't suit me."
One of the downsides of media coverage on social networks is that Instagrammers and influencers judge your work, do you find this hard to accept?
AR: "Of course, because I think everyone has their own opinion about chocolate. Alongside this, I can also develop my particular vision of this product, which I believe must be perfectly balanced. I'm obviously delighted when people enjoy eating my fruit or chocolates, but I'm not averse to criticism as long as it's constructive."
Compared to some of your colleagues, you don't have a huge number of followers on Instagram...
AR: "I'm not anti-Instagram, but it's true that until recently, I haven't been very active on social media. At one time, I was perhaps a little afraid of saying the wrong thing. Lately, I've been trying to be a little more consistent, as I'm well aware of the importance of putting yourself out there these days. I want my posts and videos to help people understand my gourmet world of sugar. Nevertheless, I still think that the memory of taste is far superior to visual memory. If I wake up happy every morning, it's because I want to find new ideas for combinations and products to offer at Alléno & Rivoire. We have to constantly challenge ourselves if we want to last over time."
I still think that the memory of taste is far superior to visual memory.
