By Anand Holla
 
For an heir to four generations of Alsatian bakery and pastry-making tradition, sticking to the rulebook and capitalising on the tried-and-tested seems like a totally wise thing to do.
Doing so, however, might not have made Frenchman Pierre Hermé the pastry phenomenon that he is. Hermé’s re-engineering of pastry classics and an awesome knack for putting endless twists on macarons, pastries and chocolates, has earned him immense admiration of the connoisseurs of gourmet sweets, apart from labels such as “pastry provocateur”.
Created in 1997 by Hermé and Charles Znaty, Pierre Hermé Paris has been expanding strongly since the past five years on the international scene with several boutiques now located in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Two years ago, the company opened its first Middle East flagship boutique in Doha in Lagoona Mall, and Hermé himself was here, last week — his first time in Doha — “to celebrate its success.”
The sweetest of colours — and macarons — popped out of the exotic garden-themed décor that greeted VIPs and the brand’s many fans. The way the guests binged on Hermé’s signature macarons such as Infiniment Citron Caviar, Truffe Blanche et Noisette, and Marron Glacé, or the iconic flavours such as Ispahan, Mogador, and Satine, it was clear why he has been hailed as the King of Macarons.
From collaborating with The St. Regis Doha to host exclusive masterclass on making his latest macaron, to dropping by at FNAC for a book-signing ceremony of two of his best-selling titles, Hermé made the most of his visit to Doha.
Community caught up with the man widely regarded as one of the finest pastry chefs in the world.
 
You have been called the Picasso of Pastry; an Architect of Emotions; the Dior of Desserts. How challenging is it to continue to live up to such high standards of pastry-making?
I never wanted to set high standards. I have just wanted to do what I feel. The goal was never to set a benchmark; the goal was to create the best pastries that I can by using top quality ingredients, interesting techniques and creative recipes. It’s not like I try and whip up various unheard of combinations. It’s just my natural creativity that I allow to guide me. What lets us maintain that quality and enhance that quality is how very rigorous we are at each step of creation and also after; the whole process actually. Everybody working at Pierre Hermé Paris is very concerned about the attention to detail, which is what helps us provide such high quality of macarons, cakes and chocolates. Attention to detail is a value shared by the whole company. Whether it’s the creation of pastries, the packaging, the boutique, the service you experience, or the communication, attention to detail is the common thread.
 
As a child, what about pastries fascinated you the most?
I was born into a family of pastry chefs. When I was young, just to see my father, I had to go to the kitchen. I was always with him in the kitchen, which probably gave me the idea to be a pastry chef. So I started really early, and that served as a strong basis for the knowledge.
 
Was becoming a pastry chef an obvious and a natural choice for you?
It was my passion. I was very lucky to get to work in my father’s pastry kitchen. That probably gave me the drive to go ahead. And yes, I grew up eating a lot of pastries — a little too much (laughs).
 
In your books, you talk about reinventing desserts. Is there a method or a formula to hit just the right combination of ingredients and flavours?
By reinventing, I mean I work on very classic bases and I try to move them to another standard and level. But these are also filling. Macaron was just four flavours to start with. Then, I started to create different flavours, flavour combinations, and texture combinations. It’s a long process that’s been in the working for 25 years.
 
How do you test your pastry creation, before you put it out there?
When I create something, my team tastes it. After that, when I taste, I have the objectivity or the distance to say whether it’s good, not too good, or can be worked upon.
 
What do you think has been a key factor in such phenomenal success of your brand, across the world?
I would attribute it to two factors — creativity and attention to detail. And those factors aren’t limited to just the taste, but relate to everything. Be it artist collaborations to design our boxes, the architecture of the boutique, or the candles that we sell by teaming up with top perfumers. For instance, we work with Christofle, a leading French brand for silver cutlery, and got a special two-cuts fork created to best enjoy our dessert.
 
Is the pressure to keep up with the competition too much?
I never feel any pressure. I do things how I feel and just how I want to do them. That was the goal when I started Pierre Hermé Paris.
 
As for your pastries, what’s your personal favourite among them?
A plum tart that my father would make is perhaps, my favourite. As for my own pastries, I always look out for the new creation. I don’t like to look in the rear view mirror.
 
If there were to be three golden rules for making great macarons, what would they be?
When we make the biscuit, it’s critical to find the right texture, by mixing just enough and not too much. Then you must wait; let the biscuit dry for an hour, before proceeding further. Later, when the two shells of the macarons are placed together with the ganache, you must wait for 24 to 48 hours to achieve the right texture. That’s because when you make macarons, the shells are very hard. You can’t eat them just then. The moisture in the ganache that sticks the two shells together, creates osmosis between the shells and the cream, softening them with time. Depending on the texture and humidity in the cream, you must be patient.
 
What is the best compliment you have got so far?
When somebody tells me my pastry is good, that’s enough for me. Just this morning, I was at the breakfast at The St. Regis Doha when a French-speaking gentleman came up to me and asked me — Are you Pierre Hermé? I answered yes. He said yesterday he went to our Lagoona Mall boutique and had macarons and it was so good. I think that’s the best compliment you can get because it’s coming straight from someone’s heart.
 
Being immersed in such a “sweet” passion for life, do you think it has shaped your personality accordingly as well? Like, would you describe your personality as a sweet, romantic at heart?
That you have to ask my wife (laughs). I would say I am very demanding, passionate and impatient. And sweet, of course.