There was a lot of hype around the arrival of Cédric Grolet at The Berkeley. Hailed the ‘best pastry chef in the world’, the Parisian Insta-sensation (2.2 million followers and counting) opened his first London patisserie on Valentine’s Day to lengthy queues around the block.
We were invited to a preview last Friday, and we’ll admit to being a little sceptical. How could a cake possibly live up to all that fuss? There, beneath their own glass domes like works of art, were his signature trompe-l’œil confections including the Noisette, the Citron and new for London, the scone.
Then we tried them, and all our doubts were assuaged. The citron’s shell cracked open to reveal a rich lemon curd, tart and sweet. The flower-shaped ‘cookie’ was melty with a toasted hazlenut topping. Even the plain croissant had more flaky, buttery layers than we had ever encountered.
Grolet is famed for his fruit and flower cakes and they are spectacularly pretty. The Berkeley Cafe has been specially designed to show them off to their full effect and the space feels like a patisserie-come-science-lab, all marble counters and gold detailing. Sit up at high stools for the Cédric Grolet Counter experience. Just 8 guests at a time can book the tasting menu where five sweet and one savoury treats are presented along with champagne.
At an eye-watering £135 per person, it certainly warrants a special occasion. However, the take-away counter is open to all…Just be sure to get there promptly before the best things sell out. The doors open every day at 8am.
A Little Bird Loves
