Can French Tradition and New York’s Energy Create the Perfect Pastry? Xavier Vallée Thinks So.

What if every pastry you bite into could tell a story? 

Meet Chef Xavier Vallée, who combines traditional French techniques with innovative American approaches to develop new versions of classic pastries for New York City's evolving culinary industry. Under his sustainability mission, Xavier Vallée builds experiences through locally sourced materials when he bakes. 

See how he’s changing the way we think about pastry.

The early life stage of pastry began for Xavier Vallée in his family bakery in Caen, Normandy. Surrounded by the aromas of fresh baking goods, Xavier learned the fundamental principles of precision, technique, and dedication, which formed the basis of his career path and deep love for what he was learning.

Xavier’s professional training began at Lycée Pierre Simon de Laplace in Normandy, where he was mentored by celebrated MOF recipients Alain Marie and Yann Tabourel. With their skilled mentorship, he developed the knowledge needed for his profession while learning about the combination of skill development with discipline and continuous innovation. 

Chef Vallée honed his skills through CAP Pâtissier certification in 2012, followed by Baccalauréat Professionnel in 2013. Then, he perfected his baking knowledge by joining his father at their family bakery.

Chef Vallée’s professional journey spans some of the world’s most prestigious pastry kitchens, where his work has consistently set new standards.

In 2013, he joined Dupont avec un thé as an apprentice under the guidance of Jean-Pierre Etienvre, who held fame as a MOF. Xavier demonstrated exceptional skills in viennoiserie development, which led him to lead the viennoiserie team at Maryan in 2015 after achieving rapid professional growth at Maryan in 2015. He steered the design process for premium wedding cakes that Club Med used in their Valmorel 5 Tridents resorts while developing brand-new pastry offerings.

His professional development led him to La Baguette de Mozart in Paris, which allowed him to refine his skills in delicate pastries first, including wedding cakes and nougatine croquembouches, while gaining experience in large-scale production. As part of his training, he instructed junior hospitality professionals, which led him to refine his leadership competency.

Xavier continued his journey abroad following Paris by accepting the Pastry Sous-Chef role at Maison Ladurée’s Beverly Hills store in 2022. He developed a vegan pastry collection for four-star hotels that provided sophisticated dessert options to hotel guests, maintaining dietary restrictions. Xavier developed his craftsmanship in two significant areas: elaborate wedding cakes and intricate decorations for macaron towers, which he used for celebrated ceremonies.

In July 2024, Xavier brought his expertise to Brooklyn, taking the reins as Head Pastry Chef at La Bicyclette Bakery. 

His expertise in both flavor combinations and food pairings allowed him to create a range of ten fresh pastries that featured local and seasonal ingredients of New York City. Through his creative mindset, Xavier introduced the gourmet caramel apple tart paired with vanilla crème brûlée and croissant base, which now remains a popular item at the bakery. During his time at the bakery, he succeeded in growing their operations to reach three different locations.

Chef Vallée faced a significant obstacle when moving to the United States without knowing English. Because of this, he was forced to overcome his comfort limitations and learn quickly.

His experience at Maison Ladurée in Los Angeles allowed Xavier Vallée to become part of their international team. The experience at Maison Ladurée in Los Angeles taught him communication skills between different cultures while he perfected his pastry work.

Using this experience, he explored the global food industry, which transformed his personal development and strengthened his dedication to reaching his goals in this field.

Xavier Vallée is in charge of redefining pastry with a focus on sustainability. Since joining La Bicyclette Bakery, he has remarkably developed eco-friendly pastries that still deliver optimal flavor and quality standards. His professional focus centers on three core activities: waste reduction through proper waste management, using locally available produce, and creating plant-based recipes that match popular dietary patterns.

A well-known chef, René Redzepi once said:

Xavier Vallée practices this vision using sustainable recipe transformations to honor traditional pastry art while guaranteeing its continuation for future periods. 

At La Bicyclette, Xavier created his signature aesthetic by combining traditional French styles with modern, responsible food techniques through his distinctive pastry methods. Tarts made from croissants became his signature dish. Xavier Vallée identifies himself as the leading expert in modern pastry development through a blend of traditional respect and contemporary food techniques.

Through his journey across Paris, Los Angeles, and New York City, Xavier Vallée developed international recognition as a pastry expert by successfully combining French techniques with American tastes.

The wide range of pastries in New York City allowed Xavier Vallée to exhibit his French pastry mastery, which led the local community to honor him as their top pastry expert. 

The evolving culinary culture of New York creates an ideal space for Xavier to fuse his French heritage with local food trends, which helps establish him as a primary model in modern pastry art.

Xavier Vallée hopes to launch his bakery venture in New York, as he considers the city the epicenter of culinary development. He aims to establish a bake shop in the town where he will present an authentic cross-section of French technique and American flavor through innovative pastry that unites his dual cultural influences.

His goal for the upcoming ten years is to establish himself as the preeminent croissant baker in New York and earn his position in the city's diverse pastry community.

Xavier Vallée's path took him from a small bakery in Normandy to New York City kitchens, where he demonstrated his unfailing culinary commitment and innovative pastry techniques. Chef Vallée advances pastry through his exceptional training at Maison Ladurée and La Bicyclette Bakery and guides both institutions through leadership while dedicating himself to sustainability practices.

Through his experiences, he demonstrates that pastry transcends its basic definition as it evolves artistically while preserving its fundamental heritage.