Atelier Du Geste à l'Émotion (Paris, FRANCE) ★★★☆☆

Philippe Conticini, one of the top pastry chefs in the world, is considered by many as the pioneer of contemporary patisserie. My first experience with his contemporary creations went way back to 2013, when I visited the now-defunct La Pâtisserie des Rêves in 16th arrondissement for the first time. While it didn't blow me away entirely, it made a lasting impression on me.

11 years later, I decided that it was time to re-visit one of Philippe Conticini's three boutiques in Paris during our 4-day stay. Yesterday, my initial attempt at his Saint-Germaine boutique was thwarted upon discovering its closure for summer vacation but here's my second chance after visiting the Louvre. In the heart of Paris on the Île de la Cité, Atelier du Geste à l'Émotion is the playground (he called it the "artist studio") where we can savor some of his most popular pastries and viennoiseries.

In 2021, Philippe Conticini, alongside Jeffrey Cagnes, decided to open this artist's studio at Place Dauphine on the Île de la Cité. A true temple of pastry paying homage to this art that both chefs love so much. It also provides the venue for their masterclasses in an intimate setting.

We couldn't wait to get our hands on some of these goodies.

Plain croissant (€1.8) – Jelloman said she had to check this plain croissant out. I didn't get the chance to do a cross-section test but from her assessment, it was a pretty good one.

Tarte Saint-Honoré (€8.5) – I had the Saint-Honoré tart myself. This consisted of sweet pastry crust, salted caramel, vanilla pastry cream and vanilla whipped cream, topped with a caramelized choux. Not surprisingly, the tart was pretty sweet from top to bottom. I was particularly happy with the delicate vanilla cream which was spot on with its sweetness and texture.

I didn't really get the chance to see any of the chef's contemporary creations as all of the pastries here fell under the traditional category. Perhaps, these were what the chef had been showcasing (and teaching) at his masterclasses.

Food Rating: 6.6/10

Price: €€€

Address: 27 Place Dauphine, 75001 Paris, France

Closest Metro Station: Pont Neuf

Tel: +33 (0)1 4354-1822

Website: www.philippeconticini.fr

Opening Hours: 9:00am - 4:30pm (Mon - Thu), 9:00am - 3:45pm (Fri), 9:00am - 6:00pm (Sat - Sun)