Discover his signature creations, including chocolate cigars and tres leches
CM: You were born in Cannes, France, in 1981. What brought you to the US?
FB: My grandmother and I cooked together a lot when I was young, and she gave me a passion for cooking. In Europe you go to the bakery every day to get your croissants or bread, and I became very fascinated by dough and chocolates. My dream was always to move to the US because I believe that anything is possible here, and we have a saying in France: “Impossible is not a French word.”
CM: Tell us about your career.
FB: I opened my first bakery when I was 23; by age 28, I had four. I came to the States in 2011 and found work with the Waldorf Astoria group, which has a special place in my heart, in 2013. I have so many friends from those years and made so many creations.
CM: What are some of your signature desserts?
FB: Maui was a new discovery—the people, culture, and flavors. When I was working at the Grand Wailea on Maui, I wanted to highlight their famous golden pineapples. Sourdough is a type of bread that requires a longer fermentation process, and I developed yeast for it by fermenting pineapples. I’ve also made my own sourdough with grapes and apples as well; it gives it a wonderful sweetness. My chocolate cigars are another signature item. I developed those in 2014 at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando and continue to tinker with them.
CM: You now oversee pastry and bread production for all restaurants at The Charleston Place, as well as Italian eatery Sorelle. Give us an idea of what you do on a day-to-day basis.
FB: I came to The Charleston Place in July 2023. My role is to create incredible desserts in partnership with the chefs from the hotels and restaurants within Beemok, then train the team for daily execution and consistency. For example, I am often on the line at Sorelle. I also love to meet guests and gather their feedback so we can continually improve our offerings. This is very easy when you love what you do as much as I do. I am passionate about my craft, but passion isn’t a magic trick. You have to be dedicated to your craft and demonstrate continuous improvement.
CM: Your Instagram @pastryfabrice is full of beautiful culinary creations; do you have a favorite dessert to make?
FB: Charleston Grill’s tres leches! My team and I worked very hard on this dish, creating the perfect combination of flavor, texture, and design. I learned from Chef Massimo Falsini, a Michelin Star chef at Caruso’s in Rosewood Miramar Beach, that a dish is a limited space to create endless emotions for our guests using flavor, color, and texture. Our tres leches is composed with a mango mousse in a tulip shape, tres leches cake, coconut tuile, coconut ice cream, and cherry coulis, with a tableside pour of coconut crème anglaise.
CM: We hear that you are hoping to start an elite pastry association that will train students. Give us the scoop.
FB: This is a dream I’ve had for a long time, and I think with the company and people around me, we can make this happen here. I can’t reveal too much yet, but I look forward to finding the next generation of pastry chefs!
