"You cannot just give up, go for the easy way, the simple way, and just do something that you are used to doing, expecting (your kids) to follow or not follow. It teaches you how to adapt. Now I feel like I can adapt to anything.”
What makes you feel the most alive?
“Being in my kitchen, cooking, baking, making pastries…Before I became a professional pastry chef, I loved cooking so much I used to only do cuisine…I wasn’t into dessert all that much. Back in 2009, actually it was for our wedding, I went to Paris for the very first time. I stayed behind because I really wanted to take classes in one of those French pastry schools because, like, I’m in Paris! And being here really inspired me to learn how to make Parisian pastries. After my first class, after tasting our first piece, I was like yup, this is what I want to do, this is what I am going to specialize in. So we just stayed in France. And now, being married to a French man, I live with a critic…and we have two little critics too. I am always baking…for work, when I am home, in my free time…I always want to. It’s when I feel most inspired. Follow your intuition, your passion.”
Who had the biggest impact on your life and why?
“Well, I was going to say my wife, but she didn’t pick me... hahaha. But I think the kids. We’ve been married for 20 years, together for 22, and our oldest is 13, so we have spent a significant amount of time just the two of us. And then you have kids, and suddenly you realize that it’s not just you and your wife anymore. As a parent, as a father, you have to kind of better yourself, right? No one tells you that it’s definitely a challenge, a personal challenge. Sure, you have to make space for them; you cannot be carefree anymore. But I also needed to consider how they would interpret and apply my model, both now and later in life. It’s important to set the right example—not just to teach them, but to inspire them to look up to their parents and strive to replicate those values in the future.
I can give you an example. I think part of my core is being a perfectionist, and I can be impatient about some things. So I want things to be done a certain way, and if you don’t do it the right way, I can get mad. But that doesn’t work with kids. Even though you try to be more patient and give more direction, they still might not do it right the first time. So I really needed to actually work on myself—to try and be a better version of myself, to be better for them. To know that it is not a big deal to try and try and try again, even though that’s really not the way I normally am. It's like an adjustment. But it also set a challenge again—to myself—that has definitely had a huge impact on my life. You cannot just give up, go for the easy way, the simple way, and just do something that you are used to doing, expecting them to follow or not follow. It teaches you how to adapt. Now I feel like I can adapt to anything.”
What’s your idea of the perfect date?
“It’s always about trying new restaurants, local cuisines when we travel, new local shops, Michelin-starred restaurants because we're both foodies. We love food, we love wine. So we enjoy trying the tasting menu—discovering new flavors—and pairing it with wine. When we're both enjoying the experience and comparing notes, it feels like the perfect date. Our version of the perfect date is the same: good food, good wine, good company, and great conversation—sharing this experience together.”
What’s a tradition or ritual that’s important to you?
“Having dinner together every night as a family is very important to us. Sitting around the table, sharing a meal, sharing our day, it's meaningful family time. Maybe I've noticed that families who prioritize this also tend to really enjoy food as well! So the fact that we all love food really makes it even more special. It's very cultural for us—we both grew up like that, so having that one moment together as a family each day is important. Of course, life gets hectic with work and personal commitments, and every day is different, but we always make time for it."
If you could master any skill instantly, what would it be?
"I have always loved F1. I mean I even named my son after Enzo Ferrari. I would love to develop real racing skills—experiencing the intense speed through tight corners while competing with other drivers. I have driven a Nissan GTR at Silverstone in the UK and a Ferrari 458 on a track in Abu Dhabi, but I would love to truly learn how to race."
*Assisted with home purchase*
