Valrhona’s mission has always been to foster a collective movement which brings together all cocoa, chocolate, and gastronomy players to push boundaries, create a fair and sustainable cocoa sector – a gastronomy that does good and tastes great. It only made sense for Valrhona to have established one of its business units in the HUB of creativity, innovation and talents in Dubai, United Arab Emirates – a land that boasts a thriving community united by their will to make a difference in a world of infinite possibilities.
With pride and excitement, Valrhona IMEA HUB is bringing two giants of the culinary scene – Pierre Hermé and Frédéric Bau – for an exceptional week of high pastry, innovation and expertise. The UAE is about to witness a gathering like no other – “la crème de la crème” – with international Cercle V Chefs coming from Morocco, Tunisia, Qatar, Oman, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE for this extraordinary occasion.
Held at the SLS Hotel, in the center of Dubai Downtown District, Chefs, culinary experts and passionate will come together for “Café Confidentiel”– a morning talk show inspired event on Monday 14th February 2022, where Pierre Hermé and Frédéric Bau will share the principle of pastry (r)evolution with his latest book “Reasoned Gourmandise”. The attendance will get the chance to taste pastries made from the book and prepared by Frédéric Bau himself and Glenn Noel from Ecole Valrhona.
Talking about his book, Frédéric Bau explained “In 2004, I had the joy of speaking at a conference alongside the incredible Pierre Gagnaire. He explained how he had decided to develop his cooking by using less butter and dreaming up other ways to create pleasure. He reminded everyone that “while we are the merchants of our customers’ happiness, we’re also the protectors of their wellbeing”. I realized that those of us who work in pastry-making also had to reconsider things and dare to make changes to recipes that had been left untouched since the 50s.”
What better way to demonstrate the relevance of this approach than to take on the icons of modern indulgence created by his friend, teacher and accomplice, Pierre Hermé for a Gourmandise Raisonnée versions of his iconic desserts.
In true Dubai Style, Monday 15th February 2022 will see the combination of dreams and accomplishments with “Talk at the Top”, a cocktail reception held at S Bar, SLS Dubai where selected invitees will be welcomed to a talk on Reasoned Gourmandise and a more intimate exchange while mingling together and reconnecting talents.
Friday 18th February 2022 will be a more intimate reunion with Frédéric Bau and couple of industry experts including a book signing and tasting. Guests will be able to enjoy recipes, techniques, ingredients, tips, and more with this book – symbol of 15 years of work and founding principles of Reasoned Gourmandise.
“Valrhona is thrilled to initiate discussions and inspire change – we believe commitment must translate into action, and we can all be actors of change for a better world.” Says Guillaume Lafaix, IMEA Business Unit Manager.
The SLS Hotel Dubai – head culinary – Claudio Cardoso is dedicated to the cause and it made so much sense to have him and his team host the first Varlhona Event of 2022.
“It is an honor for the entire team at SLS Hotel Dubai to be a part of such an unprecedented event in the city. We will be coming together with Valrhona to create a unique opportunity to host and connect with internationally acclaimed Chefs, whose philosophy and ethos are aligned with ours. We believe this is the way forward for the future of the hospitality industry in the Middle East and globally.” said Claudio Cardoso, Head of Culinary at SLS Hotel Dubai.
J’adore, j’adore… Aussi bon que beau !
