ROMAIN CASTET
BIJOU PATISSERIE
The Executive Pastry Chef at the Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk, Romain Castet learnt how to make his very first dessert, a traditional Tarte Tatin, and thanks to his father. At a young age, he was responsible for making this French-style apple tart whenever guests visited his family at their home. It was the guests’ expression of delight at tasting his dessert that sparked his passion for sweet indulgences. As his parents owned a restaurant, Romain was immediately immersed in the culinary landscape. He started his career as an apprentice working as a Pastry Chef de Partie at Lenôtre, a renowned luxury patisserie in Paris. With a desire to travel the world and further polish his craft, Romain moved to Australia for a year and worked in various restaurants and bakeries. In 2009, he was invited back to the catering team of Lenôtre Paris in the capacity of Pastry Sous-Chef. In 2012, he moved to Fairmont Monte Carlo in Monaco as Senior Chef de Partie. After a few months, he led a three months task force at the newly opened Fairmont Baku, Azerbaijan, where he was responsible for the entire pastry department by providing staff training and curating the menu. In 2014, Romain moved to Fairmont Dubai in the capacity of Pastry Chef and soon after became Executive Pastry Chef. In addition to becoming an Executive Pastry Chef at the age of twenty-nine, Romain’s career highlights include working alongside celebrity chefs such as Philippe Joannes, Jean Christophe Jeanson and Amaury Guichon. Romain has an array of achievements under his belt, including the launch of the first pop-up chocolate room at Fairmont Dubai. Launched over the festive period in 2016, Romain converted an empty retail space into a scene taken from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. A true master of his craft, he is also known for creating the biggest chocolate Easter egg in the UAE, which was 2.5 meters in height and stood in the lobby of the Fairmont Dubai. Always looking to be the best that he can be, Romain aims to compete among professionals and gain the title of “Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France”, a prestigious French award.