You Won’t Believe this Chocolate Easter Egg at Shangri-La Paris

7 March 2016 by Margaret Kemp    1912  
You Won’t Believe this Chocolate Easter Egg at Shangri-La Paris
Margaret Kemp
By Margaret Kemp
The young, talented and charismatic Michaël Bartocetti has been Head Pastry Chef at the Shangri La Hotel, Paris, since last June, working in tandem with a talented team headed by Christophe Moret.  “I am from the Lorraine region and always wanted to be a pastry chef, influenced by my family who have restaurants,” he said recently in the Bauhinia restaurant at the Shangri La. “In Paris I worked chez Guy Savoy following an apprenticeship at Pâtisserie Fischer (Thionville, France). Then I met Chef Alain Ducasse, who put me in charge of the pâtisserie section of Benoît, his Michelin star Parisian bistro. I then joined the Hôtel Plaza Athénée and worked with Christophe Moret so am delighted to be joining him once again!” The chef explained, “I was recently in China with my wife and we fell in love with the culture and culinary traditions of this amazing country. The voyage helped me a lot as it opened my mind and I discovered many new products and found inspiration for my first Shangri La Easter Egg.” Based on the legend of the Tian-Long dragon of China, or “Heavenly Dragon” – guardian of divine residences – the egg also symbolizes the Sino-French heritage found within the walls of Prince Bonaparte’s former residence (1896), now the magnificent palace hotel that is the Shangri-La. An intricate work of culinary art, The Egg is composed of over 200 scales that required one-and-a-half hours of work, as the pastry chef and his sous-chef individually assemble them. The egg combines a smooth mixture of chocolate with the delicacy of gianduja: Caribbean 66% black chocolate with a hint of spice and a delicate coating of hazelnut gianduja. A true labor of love. The “Tian-Long Egg” weighs 250 grams, and stands over six inches high. It’s limited-edition, as only 50 or 60 will be made, so act fast! The price is €70. Order 24 hours in advance through La Bauhinia: +33 (0)1 53 67 1991. And why not stay for Easter with the whole family? The price from 885€ per night (including breakfast) is available from 21-31 March 2016 and includes 85€ of dining credit, an Easter Egg Hunt in the garden for children, and a gift of Leon the mascot doll. Shangri-La Hotel, Paris: 10, Avenue d’Iéna, 16th. Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 19 98  
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Lead photo credit : The incredible #Easter egg by Chef Michaël Bartocetti, courtesy of Shangri-La Hotel/Facebook

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By Margaret Kemp

Born in Hampton, Middlesex, UK, Margaret Kemp is a lifestyle journalist, based between London, Paris and the world. Intensive cookery courses at The Cordon Bleu, London, a wedding gift from a very astute ex-husband, gave her the base that would take her travelling (leaving the astute one behind) in search of rare food and wine experiences, such as the vineyards of Thailand, 'gator hunting in South Florida, learning to make eye-watering spicy food in Kerala;pasta making in a tiny Tuscany trattoria. She has contributed to The Guardian, The Financial Times Weekend and FT. How To Spend It.com, The Spectator, Condé Nast Traveller, Food & Travel, and Luxos Magazine. She also advises as consultant to luxury hotels and restaurants. Over the years, Kemp has amassed a faithful following on BonjourParis. If she were a dish she'd be Alain Passard's Millefeuille “Caprice d'Enfant”, as a painting: Manet’s Dejeuner sur l’herbe !