ciguë

Cédric Grolet, voted best restaurant pastry chef in the world, unveils his first boutique under the arcades of the Meurice, 6 rue de Castiglione. The starting point of the project was the will to share his secrets with an audience wider than what was until today exclusively limited to the hotel’s clientele. Ciguë was commissioned to bring this contemporary patisserie to life.

The project revisits customs and traditions by inviting the back of house to the storefront: the centrepiece of the boutique, a long counter made from enamelled lava stone, serves as a scenic stage for the creation process of the pastries making.

The back wall hosts a collection of jarred raw ingredients (pistachio butter, preserved lemons, coffee beans, nuts, …) used during the preparations. A series of hand-blown glass domes single-handedly display the finished pieces behind the window.

The architectural language of the project finds its balance between a poetical minimalism that embodies Ciguë’s approach, and the prestigious setting of the Meurice. A white enamelled lava stone counter, Parisian plastered walls and brushed brass both in hardware details and as the store’s backdrop.

A space conceived as a jewellery case for Cédric Grolet’s precious pieces. Where, as a reflection of the chef’s philosophy, classics are bended and transfigured.