Francois Perret is one of France’s most admired pastry chefs, the executive pastry chef of the Ritz Paris and the man behind some of the most celebrated hotel desserts in the world. Named the world’s best restaurant pastry chef and known for his sublime take on the humble madeleine, he reinvented the entire dessert department of one of Paris’s legendary palace hotels.
With a style that prizes subtlety, balance and the quiet perfection of classic French flavours, Perret has become a reference point for elegant, restrained patisserie at the highest level.
TL;DR
- French pastry chef, executive pastry chef at the Ritz Paris
- Joined the Ritz Paris in 2016 to reinvent its desserts
- Named Best Restaurant Pastry Chef in 2019
- Famous for his honey madeleine and refined classics
- Star of the Netflix series The Chef in a Truck
Francois Perret key facts
| Nationality | French |
| Role | Executive pastry chef, Ritz Paris |
| At the Ritz since | 2016 |
| Known for | Refined French desserts; the madeleine |
| TV | The Chef in a Truck (Netflix) |
A classical education
Francois Perret worked his way up through some of the greatest houses in Paris, cooking in the kitchens of Le Meurice, the George V, the Hotel Lancaster and the Shangri-La before joining the Ritz Paris in 2016. That deep grounding in the French grand-hotel tradition shaped a style rooted in classic technique and impeccable balance.
Reinventing the Ritz
When Perret arrived at the newly reopened Ritz Paris, he was charged with reinventing the entire dessert offering. He did so with restraint and precision, and in 2019 was distinguished as the best restaurant pastry chef. His creations – the honey madeleine, the poire en cage, the caramel boat – became signatures admired around the world, showcased in his book on French pastry at the Ritz.
Beyond the hotel
Perret’s reach extended beyond the kitchen: he starred in the Netflix series The Chef in a Truck, which followed him to Los Angeles as he swapped the Ritz for a food truck, and in 2021 he opened Le Comptoir, a patisserie attached to the hotel where his creations are available to a wider public.
Signature style
Perret’s cooking is defined by subtlety and finesse. He favours the quiet perfection of familiar French flavours – cream, caramel, vanilla, honey – over spectacle, building desserts of remarkable balance and lightness. His madeleine alone has become emblematic of a whole philosophy of understated excellence.
Francois Perret in context
Perret is one of the leading French pastry chefs featured on Pickup Table 4, alongside Cedric Grolet and Jessica Prealpato.
Follow Francois Perret
Ritz Paris Le Comptoir – official site
Francois Perret FAQ
Who is Francois Perret?
A French pastry chef, executive pastry chef at the Ritz Paris.
What is he known for?
Refined French desserts, especially his celebrated madeleine.
When did he join the Ritz?
In 2016, to reinvent the hotel’s desserts.
What award has he won?
Best Restaurant Pastry Chef in 2019.
Was he on television?
Yes – the Netflix series The Chef in a Truck.
