Marc Razurel, executive pastry chef at The Ned Doha, unveils what is shaping modern pastry innovation and refined creativity today.
How can pastry chefs innovate?
Innovation today is incredibly precise. We are pushed by the elite at the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF), the World Pastry Cup and the World Chocolate Masters to rethink everything from using new hydrocolloids to technical evolution we never imagined. We always respect the foundations: perfect lamination, proper piping and correct folding for mousse and sponge. But now, we use custom silicone and techniques like molding chocolate with water that were unimaginable 20 years ago. We play with shapes and new architecture, but we never let the dessert lose its core foundation of flavor and artisanal DNA.
How has modern dining changed the way you approach pastry creation?
Modern dining is all about purity of flavor. I focus on cutting down sugar and especially reducing lactose to let the main ingredients really shine. In terms of taste, you want the natural acidity of the fruit or the intensity of the chocolate to lead the way. Thus, by controlling temperatures and using aeration, we create desserts that are light and elegant. Of course, we always adapt to the country we are in, making sure our pastry speaks to the local culture while keeping that French technical excellence.
How do global ingredients and techniques inspire your work?
For me, it’s about a French filter. You can use any local spice or exotic citrus you want, but the technique has to stay grounded in foundation. Furthermore, our work is a marriage between global discovery and French haute couture. So, even when the flavors travel the world, the soul and the technical execution must remain the foundation. Consequently, this ensures that no matter what ingredients we play with, the structural integrity and the excellence of the work are always unmistakably rooted in our heritage.
As pastry continues to evolve, what role do creativity and storytelling play in shaping the desserts of tomorrow?
Creativity today involves a total rethinking of architecture, lamination at its best and flavor profiles. Therefore, we are bringing the “how” to the front. By using new techniques and products such as hydrocolloids that weren’t even considered two decades ago, the dessert of tomorrow is a real emotional conversation between the chef’s vision and the guest.
