Maxime Frédéric

The Norman chef brings the best of his native region to the upper echelons of Parisian dining

Maxime Frédéric is a man of many contradictions: a pastry chef who prefers savoury to sweet flavours, he works with some of the world’s most luxurious brands, including Louis Vuitton and Cheval Blanc, while also running Pleincoeur, a neighbourhood bakery near his home in Paris’ 17th arrondissement, where the offering is more accessible but the commitment to quality remains robust.

Chef Frédéric’s connection with patisserie runs deep. Born in Normandy, his family has a long history of dairy farming, and this combined with many childhood hours spent baking alongside his grandmother continue to define his work to this day. Marked by a deep respect for his producers (with whom he works in close collaboration) and a desire to celebrate the ingredients themselves, his creations are emotional and transportive, evoking the sweet childhood memories formed in that Norman kitchen.

At just 35 years old, Chef Frédéric has ascended to the very top of the French pastry ranks remarkably quickly. After achieving his CAP (Certificate of Professional Aptitude) in professional baking and completing a two-year apprenticeship with Christopher Jeanne at La Grigne bakery, he quickly graduated to working in some of Paris’ most important hotels, including successful stints at Le Meurice and Four Seasons Hotel George V, before landing at Plénitude at the Cheval Blanc Paris in 2019. In 2022, Frédéric also joined the team at LV Dream, launching a café in the luxury brand’s exhibition space and boutique on the banks of the Seine.

Chef Frédéric has become known for his ability to refine the classics of French patisserie, leaving no stone unturned in his search for the very best iteration of each dish. For example, his take on a Paris-Brest ramps up textural contrasts and incorporates ingredients from his family’s farm. But it’s his award-winning millefeuille, which was painstakingly developed over two years to improve the texture of the puff pastry and with the traditional fondant swapped out for a cream spiked with three kinds of vanilla, which has emerged as one of his signature dishes.

The World’s Best Pastry Chef Award, sponsored by Sosa, recognises and rewards talent and excellence in the fields of desserts and pastry. The accolade is voted for by the Academy, formed of 1,080 independent restaurant industry experts and well-travelled gourmets from across the world.