“Among Jeffrey Cagnes’ strengths is that he modernises and simplifies traditional French pastries in a way that preserves their original characteristics,” writes a French critic.

 

Jeffrey Cagnes is the head pastry chef in Paris’s oldest patisserie, Stohrer (est. 1730). At 34 years old, he is considered to be a part of a well-established generation of pastry chefs, whom all rose to prominence in a short period of time. His career at Stohrer can be split into three stages; firstly at age 18, when he went there to study, then years later when he became sous pastry chef. Finally, in 2015 the patisserie’s new owners appointed him as a head pastry chef, responsible for Stohrer’s team of 20 pastry chefs and students. During the times where he was not working at Stohrer, he worked in some of Paris’s other prestigious patisseries (Delicabar, Yamakzi, Hédiard), developing his technical skills within these gourmet institutes. Alongside working at the various patisseries, he also created dessert menus for numerous distinguished restaurants. The first restaurant he formed a dessert menu for was the Michelin star holding Thoumieux, and two years subsequent, he made one for the chic Monsieur Bleu restaurant located in the Palais Tokyo building in Paris.

“When I returned to Stohrer for the third time, I came to the realisation that this is where I belong, this familiar atmosphere is my true home. What was I hoping for? That my work will be as timeless as the Stohrer desserts,” said Jeffrey. The pastry chef works respectfully, he has no desire to reform the classic desserts, just simply to update them, by creating less sweet recipes, and his desserts follow newer trends in an aesthetic sense. He will bring his new cookbook containing over 60 recipes to the masterclass in Budapest.