Choux is set to take centre stage on the pastry scene as specialist patisserie Maître Choux opens its doors in South Kensington today. The brainchild of top pastry chef Joakim Prat, who came to London as Joël Robuchon’s Head Pastry Chef at L’Atelier before moving on to Mayfair’s The Greenhouse, Maître Choux will be the only pastry shop in the UK with a three-Michelin-star experienced chef at the helm!
Choux pastry is a light dough that rises in the oven, leaving a soft, hollow interior surrounded by a golden, crispy shell. A staple of every patisserie in France, it is a very malleable yet simple bakery base, which in the hands of Joakim is transformed into something quite extraordinary.
Wanting to offer customers a quality of dessert hitherto found only in the most exclusive eateries, Joakim spent months perfecting Maître Choux’s range of éclairs, choux and chouquettes (empty choux pastry casings that are traditionally eaten in France for breakfast or as a snack). As visually stunning as they are delicious, Joakim’s hand-crafted designs are baked throughout the day in the state-of-the-art kitchen at Maître Choux’s South Kensington shop. Some of the choux can even be filled upon ordering for incomparably fresh crispiness, and orders can be taken for corporate or private bespoke designs.
Bringing a contemporary twist to a classic French speciality, these edible works of art make the perfect dessert, indulgent snack or gift. The core range will be complemented by regularly changing specials that showcase the kitchen’s extraordinary creative talents, and guests can accompany their snacks at the handful of tables with a cup of the finest quality tea and coffee, or thick hot chocolate made from a legendary Basque recipe provided by Joakim’s grandmother.
