WHEN YOUR PARENTS ARE BAKERS/PASTRY CHEFS, IT’S RARE THAT YOU DON’T END UP IN THE PROFESSION. THIS WAS THE CASE FOR KÉVIN OLLIVIER, WHO GREW UP IN THE FAMILY BAKERY IN PLOUAGAT, CÔTES D’ARMOR. WEEKENDS SPENT HELPING HIS FATHER NATURALLY DEVELOPED A PASSION FOR THE JOB.
Text by Séverine Engels (Featured in the October 2024 issue of Pastry1 Magazine)
In 2006, the young man began a B.E.P. boulanger (bakery) through his parents’ business. During this year, he took the M.A.F. boulanger exam, finishing 2nd in the region. The following year, while preparing his B.P. in bakery, he finished 1st in the regional bakery competition of the Olympiades des Métiers. As a result, he was selected for the national final. He was the youngest candidate to take part in the competition, finishing in sixth place. This was how Kevin came to take his first steps in competing.
The apprentice baker decided not to stop there: "I was still young and wanted to broaden my experience. I wanted to
explore pastry." So he turned to Thierry Martin, a pastry chef in Plérin-sur-mer, for his apprenticeship. "I found a very good teacher. He was passionate about his craft and a job well done. I loved working in this small business. I was involved in everything, all the time. He taught me a huge amount and I wanted to continue on this journey." His efforts paid off as he finished first of his graduating class and head of pastry, Claude Lucas turned in the direction of another renowned professional to obtain his B.T.M.: Laurent Le Daniel, M.O.F. pâtissier, whose boutiqueis located in Rennes. In 2019, he again takes part in the M.A.F. competition in the pâtissier category, this time round, for which he finished 1st regionally and 2nd
nationally, "the best position to be in,” according to Laurent Le Daniel, “because everything is still to play for!"
After obtaining his diploma, he continued working with the Meilleur Ouvrier de France pâtissier before moving on to take charge of desserts/small cakes. An experience where he was thrown into the deep end straight after graduating. After starting out at Maison Le Daniel, the chef helps him find the right house for him to explore other aspects of the industry. So he travelled across France to work for Philippe Rigollot, who had recently become a Meilleur Ouvrier de France: "He had just left Anne Sophie Pic's restaurant to set up his own business. I was interested in his approach to pastry-making within the restaurant industry as I hadn't yet tackled this aspect of the profession. It was completely different from what I was doing at Laurent Le Daniel, where we were more involved in formal production. He taught me about another side of pastry. Everything was done from scratch, which was also a very positive experience.” During this period, the chef encouraged the young worker to take part in competitions, notably the Charles Proust, for which he came close to finishing in the final three. He recalls that at the time Philippe Conticcini called him to congratulate him on his tasting. "I was pleased that he called me, as it was my first real competition, and even if I didn't win a prize, it helped me move forward because I learned a lot. I wasn't there to win, but to challenge myself."
For two years, he worked alongside Quentin Bailly, helping him prepare for the World Cup. Just as he was planning to leave, the departure of the world champion changed all that, as Philippe Rigollot offered him his position as head chocolatier. "I'd already tackled bakery and pastry, but I'd never managed the chocolate section. I jumped at the chance." It was during this period that he won the Pascal Caffet Trophy in November 2013. Two years later, he tried out for the World Pastry Cup, but was not selected for the team.
Feeling like he was missing something, Kévin sought to try his hand at catering pastry-making, the only string missing from his bow. This came at the right time, as Jean Sulpice, chef at the Auberge du Père Bise, 2 Michelin stars, was looking for a pastry chef. "This was a real challenge, everything had to be done from scratch, there was a lot of work to do. I must have put together some 500 recipe cards over the whole period I worked with him." After the disappointment of his first selection, Kévin decided to reapply for the World Pastry Cup, and this time he was selected as a chocolate candidate. Covid impacts the schedule making it difficult to prepare and the French team finishes in third place.
Beyond being an accomplished chef, Kévin is also an artist who has honed his craft over the years. Starting from a theme, by
selecting a strong element that will serve as the basis for his piece and transforming it artistically, this is what drives his passionate soul. "For example, when I did my piece on the theme of the discovery of America, the basis of my sculpture was the boat. For me, it's important that it’s based on something meaningful. When you see the piece, you immediately understand the theme. I prefer working with objects, but for the World Cup, I opted for a living creature (editor's note: a rooster). In any case, I find it easier to work without pressure. At Philippe Rigollot's, I sculpted a swan in a week, whereas designing the World Cup piece took me months! Despite chocolate not being his favorite medium, Kévin knew how to master it. "I had no problems with sugar, I've always loved making it, it was really my thing. Chocolate, on the other hand, was my nemesis. When I was helping Quentin, I forced myself to work with the medium to become more and more comfortable. These days I've done so much that I should go back to sugar... The sculpting constraints are not the same between the two ingredients. You can't think of a piece in the same way, for example, just in terms of the law of gravity, of weight...Neither material is more difficult than the other , they both take work, understanding of their constraints, practice and familiarity." If he can give one piece of advice to those who want to start sculpting, it's to work hard, don't get discouraged and don't set the bar too high at first. "It's important to get through the basics before going any further. In chocolate, the hardest thing to master is working cleanly. The most important thing is to get used to the feel of the medium so you can go on to produce beautiful things. Lastly, surround yourself with people who can help you progress, and ask for advice."
The time had come to take stock, and after 6 years working in the kitchens of the Auberge du Père Bise, Kévin is leaving for new adventures at the Hôtel Beau Rivage in Geneva, Switzerland, which he has just joined. The idea of returning to competing is still in the back of his mind, and why not try his hand at the "Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France" competition. But as he wisely puts it: "for this, you need to be doing well in both your personal and professional life. This is a period where I need to find a balance and then set myself new goals."