~ Thierry Delourneaux ~

Chef Thierry is an avid chocolate lover and his passion for all things sweet started early in life when he decided to pursue a kitchen apprenticeship in his hometown, the exotic French island of Guadeloupe. He excelled, completing the course in half the duration required and moved on to complete his Masters in Pastry making with the Chamber of Commerce while working at Chamarre Patisserie in Paris. With 18 years of experience as an Executive Pastry Chef, Thierry’s innovative pastries and desserts led him to Canada where he worked in the renowned Lenotre Patisserie in Montreal and later on moved to Toronto to open two new patisserie boutiques – Patachou Patisserie in 2002, showcasing authentic French pastries.   Prior to joined The St Regis Washington DC, chef Thierry has also ventured to various parts of the Americas, including New York, California and West Virginia where he worked with various renowned International hotel chains including The Ritz-Carlton and Hilton. While at The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner, he redesigned the brunch menu at Maestro, which was named the best restaurant in 2003-2004 by Washington Post. He was the creative mind behind the grand dessert line-up for the 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2007 while heading the team at The Beverly Hills Hilton. Chef Thierry was also part of the opening team at the idyllic The Grand Del Mar Resort, which opened in 2007, where he meticulously rolled out the desserts menu for all dining outlets. In 2009, Chef Thierry joined The Greenbrier, an award-winning luxury resort located in the heart of the White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, where he opened the Casino Club and several other restaurants there. In 2011 Chef Thierry helmed the award-winning pastry kitchen of Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford for over 3 years. He was nominated for Executive Pastry Chef of the Year at The 14th World Gourmet Series Awards of Excellence in Asia. His journey with the Fairmont also took him to The Fairmont Southampton, Bermuda. Most recently Chef Thierry has worked at the legendary Rainbow Room where he hosted The James Beard Foundation, New York Gala 2015 among many other high profile celebrity events.   Chef Thierry has been exposed to a myriad of cultures but his main influence stems from his Caribbean roots and classic French training – the end result is a unique range of desserts that will tease and satiate even the most discerning palate. In early 2013 a voyage to craft the perfect chocolate recipe led Chef Thierry to Meulan, France, at the Cacao Barry factory observing how the finest chocolate was made. Chef Thierry refined his exclusive blends to achieve the most delectable signature chocolate recipe. Going back to Chef Thierry’s roots in the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, this dark chocolate is affectionately named Karukera 70% “The Island of beautiful waters”, as originally referred to by the Arawak people who settled there in 300 AD/CE. The signature KaruKera 70% comprises of aromatic cocoa beans from Cacao Barry grown in exotic destinations like the Dominican Republic, Tanzania, Madagascar and Ghana. The ultimate product is one with intense cocoa flavours, a tinge of floral note, and the right balance of bitterness and sweetness.   Chef Thierry’s inspirations stem from his heart of gold and his sublime creations are delicately thoughtful. Chef Thierry lives by his philosophy “In order to perform your best in your profession, you have to love what you do.”