"One cooks well only with the heart." This phrase, reminiscent of the famous work by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, seems tailor-made for Nicolas Lambert, whose bright eyes and smile betray a curious, almost Le Petit Prince-like air. As Senior Executive Pastry Chef at the Four Seasons Hotels in Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and DIFC, the French pastry chef was recently a guest at the San Domenico Palace in Taormina, a Four Seasons Hotel, where he collaborated with the talented resident pastry chef Vincenzo Abagnale on the signature breakfast Voyage d'Orient. This menu is a harmonious blend of Sicilian and Eastern culinary cultures, crafted with balance and artistry by the two pastry masters.
Lambert took his first steps in the pastry arts in Épinal, France, where he and his twin brother learned the rigors of the trade surrounded by croissants and baguettes, baked fresh every morning by their parents in the family bakery: "The seed of pastry was planted in me when I was only two." At age 15, he worked alongside
Philippe Torti at the
Pâtisserie du Musée, continuing his studies and acquiring the discipline that would lead him to some of France's most celebrated pastry workshops. Among his early milestones,
Lambert worked in Nancy at the
Pâtisserie Yves Musquar and later in Lyon at the
Pâtisserie Sébastien Bouillet, where he won the
National Festival of Croquembouches. "I studied for six months to develop every element of the
croquembouche, from the pastry to the cream to the caramel. In every competition, I always pushed the limits of my craft."
Nicolas Lambert and his brother Julien inside their parents' bakery.
When embarking on a career, it is essential to choose the right chefs from whom to learn. "It’s not about the city, the hotel, or the location, but the mentor you choose to learn from. My first experience outside my hometown was in Lyon. Everyone told me that I’d be wasting my time in Lyon, that Lyon wasn’t Paris, but I had chosen the mentor I wanted to work with. In the end, I stayed there for three years, and thanks to him, I got the chance to go to the
Plaza Athénée in Paris." He then continued to grow in Paris under the guidance of
Christophe Michalak, where he also won the
Prix spécial présentation bonbons at the
Pascal Caffet Trophy: "My goal has always been to be the best, not just in one category but skilled at everything," he explains, emphasizing his versatility as a core strength.
Following a period in Cannes with
Jérôme de Oliveira,
Lambert became the pastry chef at
Caprice, a three-Michelin-star restaurant in Hong Kong: "Hong Kong was pivotal for me as my first experience abroad; I didn’t speak English, and I went to work in a three-star Michelin restaurant. Six days a week, from eight in the morning until one at night: it was the ultimate push out of my comfort zone." This also led him to adjust some technical aspects of his work: "Asians don’t enjoy overly sweet dishes, and I often heard that the dessert was good but too sweet. I gradually reduced the sweetness to reach an 8–10% sugar level, balancing with acidity and savoriness. A dessert must be delicious but also something you can finish without feeling the need to drink a liter of water afterward."
When it comes to responding to client demands, flexibility is crucial for a chef, though Lambert notes, "I never create something I don't like myself. In Hong Kong, for instance, they asked me twice to create a matcha-based dessert, but I didn’t do it because I don’t like matcha."
In 2018, two prestigious accolades recognized his skills and innovative approach in the global pastry scene: the title of
Asia's Best Pastry Chef from
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and
Best Pastry Chef Hong Kong and Macau at the
Tatler Awards. After three years,
Lambert moved to St. Petersburg to work as executive pastry chef at the
Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace: "When I made this decision, everyone told me it was crazy because in Russia, I wouldn’t have access to the quality ingredients I’d find in Italy, France, or Hong Kong. But once there, I accepted the challenge from my F&B Manager to learn to work with the essential ingredients available, like apples and flour." It was a demonstration of remarkable adaptability: "In that challenge, I discovered a great opportunity. Exploring Russian culture and seeking new solutions for my creations, I understood the value of humble ingredients. I realized that extraordinary dishes could be created even with simple ingredients. I learned to maximize techniques—reduction, vacuum cooking, and others—to highlight local ingredients."
In 2021, Lambert joined the
Four Seasons Hotels in Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and DIFC as Senior Executive Pastry Chef. Here, he coordinates a multicultural team that enriches his work with diverse ideas and perspectives: "90% of the people living in Dubai are international. There are people from all over the world, and in the hotel, I welcome guests with all kinds of tastes. My team includes collaborators from 16 different nationalities, each bringing original ideas and unique perspectives. It’s extremely stimulating to find a balance among all these diverse visions." Different cultures, thoughts, and palates: "Europeans have a refined palate and can appreciate ingredients, technique, and the pleasure of good food. But in terms of precision and attention to ingredient freshness, the Japanese display unparalleled attention to detail. Many Japanese chefs come to Europe to learn our techniques and then return to Japan to elevate them even further."
Good or beautiful? "It’s easy to create a dish that looks beautiful in photos; it’s much harder to create one that tastes delicious." Lambert’s philosophy centers on perfection, with meticulous attention to detail: "I can’t create with the heart what I don’t love. I must have absolute conviction from the beginning. Every dish, before reaching the table, is tasted and refined at least ten times. My job is to enchant the guest with a moment of sweetness, a fragment of happiness, and to do that, I must find joy in creating and presenting it." And yet, after so many years, places, successes, and high-level pastries, one never forgets their origins: "I was born among flours and yeasts, and I must admit that nothing is as satisfying as creating a perfect croissant, even compared to the most refined dessert. With a good recipe and exceptional ingredients, a dish is hard to mess up, but a croissant is different: even with the best flour and yeast, if the dough isn’t handled correctly, if temperature and humidity aren’t calculated precisely, the result will never be perfect. That, yes, is true art."
Reflecting on his life and career, on his travels across continents, cultures, and flavors,
Nicolas Lambert evokes the spirit of the tireless dreamers found in books, resembling the protagonist of
The Little Prince—a seeker of the essence of things and the true flavor of each ingredient. An alchemist capable of infusing a hint of wonder and discovery into each creation. Thus, the essential is invisible to the eyes but perceivable on the palate: good, clear, pure.
