- By Charlotte Brown
- May 21, 2025
A TRAINER AT HEART, BRUNO PASTORELLI HAS SHARED HIS VAST EXPERIENCE OF PASTRY-MAKING IN MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. HE HAS ALSO CREATED NUMEROUS PIECES IN BOTH SUGAR AND CHOCOLATE.
Text By Gilbert Pytel - Photos ©Robert Moleda (Featured in the May 2025 issue of Pastry1 Magazine)
More than a Trade, an Art
When the Mastery of a Trade Becomes an Art
Bruno Pastorelli's professional career began with training as a cook in the family business in Épernay
He soon discovered his sweet tooth and joined Jacques Kempf's patisserie in Mourmelon le Grand, where he obtained his C.A.P. diploma. He then worked in his parents' restaurant until 1992. Early on, Bruno Pastorelli decided to take part in various competitions. He was a finalist in the Championnat de France du Dessert [French Dessert Championships] in Saint-Quentin en Yvelines in 1983, before competing in the Coupe de France de pâtisserie confiserie in Intersuc in 1987. "These various competitions have enabled me to improve my work and also to compare myself against others. Initially, I was more interested in working with sugar, it wasn't until later that I became interested in chocolate.” He also entered the Meilleur Ouvrier de France Pâtissier competition for the first time in 1986, ending up in the final. "Initially, I knew very little about this competition, and it was the commissioner of the M.O.F. society in the Marne department who entered me. He undoubtedly saw that I had the potential to take part.
Initially, I was more interested in working with sugar, it wasn't until later that I became interested in chocolate
This was a very intense period in my life, because after a long day in the pastry kitchen of my family's restaurant, I had to get on with preparing for the tests. During the final, I quickly realized that I still had a lot to learn, but I hung in there and decided to sign up for the next session. The demands of this competition are quite similar to those of a top-level athlete: you have to train nonstop and repeat each technique an infinite number of times. As the 1986 event lasted 27 hours over two and a half days, you need to be fully prepared on the big day and have everything organized perfectly. Lastly, I realize how lucky I am to have had the support of those closest to me.” The second time was the charm, as Bruno Pastorelli earned his blue-white-red collar at the 1989 Etienne Tholoniat session, along with nine other prizewinners: Patrick Berger, Serge Billet, Pascal Caffet, Jean-Pierre Étienvre, Lionel Lallement, Philippe Parc, Éric Saguez, Philippe Second and Michel Viollet. It was his sugar art piece that undoubtedly made the difference: "I had made a sugar medallion in translucent curved glass, a technique that had never before been used. After that, I continued making artistic pieces depending on the demonstrations I was offered. When it comes to sugar flowers, I draw my inspiration mainly from Ikebana, the Japanese floral art, which focuses on three main points symbolizing heaven, earth and humanity through the three pillars of asymmetry, space and depth. What's more, I'm from the old school, the "sugar cookers", because when I started out, we didn't work with isomalt. I had to master cooking the sugar to perfection as well as its conservation. When I sculpt chocolate, I'm looking above all for volume, movement and color. I'm particularly proud of the "Ha Long Bay Bather," a chocolate piece I created in 2020 for the "Voyage et saveurs" [Travel and Flavors] trade show in Reims on the theme of Asia. It weighs 120 kg and is 1.8m tall. I sculpted it entirely using wood chisels, without any molding.
For the M.O.F. competition, I had made a sugar medallion in translucent curved glass, a technique that had never before been used
Following the award of his M.O.F., Bruno Pastorelli has been a jury member at various national and international competitions. He was even a member of the organizing committee for several editions of the Coupe du Monde de Pâtisserie. Professionally, in 1992 he was appointed head pastry chef at the Michelin-starred restaurant l’Assiette Champenoise in Tinqueux, then run by Jean-Pierre Lallement. In 1996, he joined DGF, a company that distributes raw materials for the catering trade, offering a wide range of products and recipes for their use. Bruno teaches at our inhouse school, the Académie des Experts, which offers training, demonstrations and practical courses throughout the year, both in France and abroad. He is also in charge of the Research and Development department, developing new recipes and marketing new products. This role enables him to deliver numerous demonstrations in a large number of different countries: Australia, USA, Canada, Russia, Ukraine, Dubai, Japan, China, La Réunion, Georgia, Armenia etc. "Initially, I didn't speak a word of English, so I had to take private lessons.
In 2008, he co-founded the Mondial des Arts Sucrés with Jean-François Langevin
Generally speaking, my programs were based on our customers' requests. More often than not, they wanted to know what was best in French patisserie. Some countries were more complicated than others, as we sometimes didn't have the equipment needed to carry out our demos. That's why it's essential to be adaptable. There was a time in my life where I almost spent more time on planes than at home, and it was hard on my family.” With local partners, Bruno Pastorelli even goes on to open Pastry Corners in Shanghai, an experiment that lasts three years. He also teaches at the École Nationale Supérieure de la Pâtisserie in Yssingeaux and at the Institut Supérieur de la Pâtisserie "École étoile" in Venice, Italy. To mark the occasion, he published a book devoted to plated desserts, "Dessert, dessert, dessert", written with Stefano Laghi and Emanuele Saracino: "Since writing doesn’t come easily to me, this was something that took up a lot of my time.” In 2008, alongside Jean-François Langevin, Bruno Pastorelli co-founded the Mondial des Arts Sucrés, an international pastry competition which takes place every two years, bringing together 16 countries and lasting four days. Each team must be made up of a male-female pair. "During my travels in Asia, I realized that there were a lot of women working in the pastry kitchens, and along with the other DGF heads, we decided to include them in a competition in their own right. We were a little ahead of our time.” Even though Bruno Pastorelli is now enjoying retirement, he continues to volunteer his time to train young pastry chefs.