#Patrick Agnellet

“Since a pastry is always made to be shared, it represents a masterpiece straight from the heart,” Patrick Agnellet

From growing up in La Clusaz in a family of farmers to becoming a renowned artisan pastry chef who has transformed his profession into an art form, we take a look back on the career of Patrick Agnellet, a man who, through a heightened sense of creativity, continues to pay homage to the mountains of his childhood.

Just a few short weeks prior to the next major Relais Desserts meeting in Annecy in April – organized by Patrick Agnellet– he agreed to sit down with us at his laboratory in Argonay, designed with thought and purpose and a superb architectural work of art in itself.

The immaculate building, with its striking and timeless esthetic, appears to levitate in front of the mountain backdrop.

The mineral tone is accentuated by copper edging around the building, the latter evoking the cauldrons used in the Aravis Mountains to make the reblochon cheese of his youth, as well as the jam pots where chocolate tastily simmered.

A warm and friendly, contemporary place where the wood and concrete mix are enhanced by the natural light that floods the boutique through the wall-long window, designed almost like an observation deck for the surrounding environment. “Working in natural light, in sync with the elements, is important for the well being of my staff,” explains Patrick Agnellet.

Eco-friendly materials, recycling water, ergonomic workstations, temperature control in every office and workspace, air filtering, reducing waste, composting, yuzu, citrus, and pepper plants, planters filled with herbs and flowers where you pick only what is needed… so many methods with meaning that he wants to pass on to his staff.

However, the amazing backdrop does not eclipse the location’s technical, ultramodern side that provides the right tools and ideal workplace for his team.

In this context, from April 14 to 17, in Annecy, Patrick Agnellet is preparing to host 100 of the world’s greatest pastry chefs (from 19 different countries) for the upcoming meeting for Relais Desserts, a non-profit organization that brings together the world elite in high-end French pastry.

For the event, he wanted to include the Michelin-starred chefs from the Lake Annecy basin and offer the opportunity to introduce the area’s gourmet culture to attendees. A member of Relais Desserts since 2011, he now has earned his place among the world’s 100 greatest names in pastry chefs.

Time to pass the torch?

Rest assured, for Patrick Agnellet, the time has not yet arrived for him to hang up his apron. However, sharing and teaching – values, common sense, and know-how – is simply part of his DNA.

So much so, that his two children have joined the adventure that he started with his wife, Nathalie, twenty years ago: Louis has been working the oven since 2018, and Lucie both works in the boutique and handles communications.

This new, state-of-the-art, modern, and warm and welcoming location makes it easy for everyone to fit in and freely express their talent. “I wanted to offer them a tool for the future so that they can be a part of the adventure,” he explains, this time as a dad.

The "Entre Nous" workshop at Maison Agnellet

And by the way, Louis manages the “Entre Nous“ workshop, their new pastry school where they unveil their creative techniques and secrets: choux pastries, macaroons, St. Honoré cakes, Paris-Brest, and “fraisier” strawberry cakes to name a few.

It will take more than a little patience to learn these secrets, since workshops fill up months in advance.

Annecy boutique: 17 rue Centrale (Annecy-le-Vieux) – Tel. +33 (0)4 50 23 14 30
Argonay boutique-workshop: 228 rue des Symphorines – Tel. +33 (0)4 84 27 00 10

Patrick Agnellet

“Since a pastry is always made to be shared, it represents a masterpiece straight from the heart,” Patrick Agnellet

Time to pass the torch?

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