About

My career path first took me through the fields of science and education before I entered the culinary arts. Today, I conduct research and historical reconstruction focused on the sweet traditions of the 17th and 18th centuries.

I’m curious by nature and give my all to everything I do. So much so that a simple question turned into a full-fledged project.

It all started with a question

What did people eat for dessert at Versailles?

This question quickly led to many others: What did these desserts taste like? What did they look like? How were they made? What ingredients were used? How were they served, and in what? What was it like to be a pastry chef?

To try to answer many of these questions, I draw on historical sources: 17th– and 18th-century cookbooks and household manuals, menus from that era, archives, dictionaries (the one from the Académie Française has become my best friend), and books of research both contemporary and historical.

From texts to the lab

When I discover an old recipe in 17th– and 18th-century books, I first have to transcribe the Old French into modern French, then convert the measurements. Simply reading an old recipe isn’t enough to know what the final result will be once it’s prepared.

Once this translation is complete, I study the ingredients, compare the various recipes found for the same dish, interpret the cooking instructions, and conduct several trials.

Even with all these precautions, the flavor of the 17th or 18th century cannot be reproduced exactly. I try to get as close as possible to the original based on the available documents, while distinguishing between what the sources tell us and what is a matter of interpretation.

A career in pastry

I hold a CAP in Pastry and a supplementary certification in Catering from FERRANDI Paris.

I’ve worked in retail, catering, and restaurants, notably at Ore Ducasse at the Palace of Versailles. I also worked at L’Arpège in Paris. This knowledge and professional experience is now crucial to my understanding of historical pastry-making and its technical intricacies. If a recipe doesn’t turn out right, it’s because a piece of the puzzle is missing.

Bringing heritage to life

This research now fuels several projects, including workshops in Versailles to explore this heritage through hands-on experience and tasting, as well as a book bringing together research and recreations.

On this website, I share the sources, experiments, discoveries, and questions that accompany this work.

From the past to the present, reviving the heritage of sweet treats through the palate.