In Turin, at the annual World's 50 Best Restaurants ceremony, Maxime Frédéric was awarded the title of World's Best Pastry Chef 2025, in recognition of the work of a craftsman as discreet as he is talented. At the age of 36, this Normandy native, who has also worked at Le Meurice and the George V, is now at the helm of the sweet world of Cheval Blanc Paris, where he has been officiating since 2019. He is responsible for the desserts in the restaurants Plénitude, Le Tout-Paris, Langosteria and Hakuba, all located in this palace facing the Seine.
But before winning the world title in Turin, Maxime Frédéric had already been honored in Paris. On June 17, 2025, his 36th birthday, he received the award for the world's most creative pastry chef at a garden party organized by La Liste in the gardens of the Invalides. La Liste, which uses artificial intelligence to cross-reference food critics and customer opinions from all over the world, doesn't just rely on classic guides. Here, sincere creativity is celebrated, drawing on childhood memories and family values. Recalling his first cakes shared with neighbors, or his "Fleur de vacherin" in homage to his grandmother Rosa, it's easy to understand where the emotion in his creations comes from.
You can also discover his more affordable creations in his new bakery-pâtisserie Pleincœur, opened with his wife and friends who produce cocoa and coffee, a reminder that for him, everything starts with people. A wonderful adventure to be discovered at 64, rue des Batignolles, in the 17th arrondissement.
Maxime Frédéric has been cultivating this taste for sharing since childhood. The son of farmers, he grew up in Normandy with farm animals and homemade cakes with his grandmother. Asthmatic, he preferred stoves to horses, and very early on decided to become a baker. Two CAPs, a professional bac and an arrival in Paris at the age of 20 later, he joined the great houses, where he perfected a pastry of emotion, demanding and always in touch with his roots.
His vision is reflected in his signature desserts. The Paris-Brest, revisited with products from the family farm, plays on contrasting textures. As for his millefeuille, it quickly became a must-have. Worked on for several years, it features an ultra-crisp puff pastry and a light cream infused with three vanillas (Tahiti, Madagascar, La Réunion), with no fondant to mask the delicacy of the whole.
Recently, we fell in love with her unrivalled strawberry tart at Pleincœur, and her pastry ice cream sundaes at Jardin du Cheval Blanc, the summer rooftop terrace.
Note that you can also discover his creations at the Café Vuitton LV Dream, nestled in the exhibition space of the House of Louis Vuitton, not far from the Samaritaine. A more intimate address, but just as well cared for, where you can discover elegant and inventive pastry-making. With the opening of Pleincœur in the 17th arrondissement, he has also opted for proximity: a neighbourhood bakery-patisserie where you can feel the same rigour in execution and the simple pleasure of a good product.
With two major awards in the space of a week, Maxime Frédéric has established himself even more as a key figure on the world pastry scene. But behind the awards and the limelight, he is a chef true to his values, committed to family, craftsmanship and the emotion of taste. A wonderful discovery to make, whether in a palace or on a street corner in Batignolles.
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