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Cédric Grolet steps into the lobby of the Parisian palace hotel "Le Meurice" and strolls over for the interview. He has worked here as Chief Pâtissier since 2013, although he now runs a number of pastry shops under his own name in several countries. On Instagram , the slim, diminutive Frenchman has over nine million followers. Fans will queue for hours to take a selfie with him or wait patiently in line for the doors of his shops in Paris, London, and Singapore to open. Never before has a pastry chef sparked such adulation and scaled such starry heights as the 38-year-old sugar genius.

Calvin Courjon

Do you still make your pastries yourself, or do you just sketch the designs like a fashion designer?
Yes, you could say that I am like a fashion designer. The majority of my creations are made by my team; my job is to create, design, and sketch. Sometimes I also lend a hand, particularly if we're filming for television, for photo shoots or for social media. But these things will have to take a back seat for a while.

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A staggering 9.6 million people follow you on Instagram. When we spoke last time, four years ago, you had 1.5 million – and even that seemed overwhelming. You have been accused of focusing purely on instagramability in your new creations.
That's not true, of course. One should never assume that people are stupid. They're not rushing to my shops just because the cakes look great on a phone. Naturally, I pay more attention to the visuals than when I first started using Instagram eight years ago. But I would never add something or take something away just to make a pastry look better. My focus is exclusively on flavor. It always has been and always will be.

Calvin Courjon

You opened your first boutique in 2018 and have been Chief Pâtissier under Alain Ducasse at the Le Meurice hotel since 2010. What have Ducasse and Le Meurice contributed to your success?
They've contributed an incredible amount. One of the advantages of working in a palace hotel and for such an exceptional chef as Monsieur Ducasse is that the guests who come here expect something truly excellent and outstanding – yet are also open to innovation. For a pastry chef, this is challenging and inspiring in equal measure.

Calvin Courjon

What ingredient do you like working with best?
I am very fond of fruit. All fruit, but particularly citrus fruit. I love the acidity and the bitterness. But I also like experimenting with herbs, spices, and flowers.

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And what is your favorite dessert?
A simple, but perfectly made crème brûlée, which cracks when you break through the caramel topping with your spoon. 

P. Monetta

Le Meurice
228 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
Tel.: +33 1 44 58 69 19
Web: dorchestercollection.com