The art of pastry is now available to savour at the new Pierre Hermé Paris patisserie at Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre. Arrayed in the Lobby of the high-altitude Hotel in the heart of the capital of Saudi Arabia, the gorgeous retail boutique invites guests and visitors into a realm where artistry and architecture coalesce, and every treat displayed is a work of culinary wonder prepared to perfection to dazzle the eyes as well as the palate.
As at Pierre Hermé Paris, cafés and café-restaurants around the world around, the pastries, macarons, chocolates conceived by legendary French pastry chef and chocolatier Pierre Hermé – aka, “the Picasso of Pastry” – combine flavours, textures and decorative elements in highly original and even unusual ways to excite and astonish.
Imagine Infiniment Vanille shortbreads imbibed with mascarpone cream and vanillas from Tahiti, Mexico and Madagascar; Plaisir Sucré dacquoise biscuits decked out with crunchy hazelnuts, hazelnut crisps, thin wafers of milk chocolate, as well as milk chocolate ganache and Chantilly; and pretty-in-pink Ispahan rose macaroons incorporating rose petal cream, raspberries and letchis. There are also many more, including cakes, succulent chocolates and holiday-themed offerings made ready to go for enjoying as centrepieces for special occasions.
The Hotel’s Pierre Hermé Paris boutique is led by Executive Pastry Chef Steve Thiery from Nancy -France, who joined the pâtissier’s global operation in 2019 after refining his own talents over a decade and a half at pastry kitchens of resorts and retailers from French Polynesia to France to Morocco. To ensure freshness as well as an avenue for Chef Thiery’s own creative touches, all pastries are made onsite in the Hotel’s dedicated Pierre Hermé kitchen.
Like the sweets and treats it offers, the Pierre Hermé Paris boutique unfolds as eye candy for clientele, with impressive design that reflects the beauty of its products and makes shopping a pleasure. The light, airy atmosphere of the space offers tranquil respite from the world outside, with walls and flooring elegantly draped in a mosaic of orange, brown and cream marble. Every tile has been meticulously chosen and placed to reflect light beaming down from the ceiling, accentuating their polished beauty and lustre.
The architecture of the boutique is also noteworthy for its resemblance to historical landmarks, with a circular layout that heightens the grandeur of the space, and only subtle embellishments including display cases recessed into the walls. The retail display continues the circular theme, with desserts showcased behind refined glass like valuable jewellery at a museum.
With their intricate design and flawless execution, the pastries at Pierre Hermé Paris invites shoppers to stop and savour possibilities as well as the scene. Additionally, at the Hotel’s new Obaya Lounge, guests can immerse themselves in the sophisticated experience of savoring Pierre Hermé's confections in a relaxed and enchanting atmosphere.
Pierre Hermé Paris boutique at Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh is now open to guests and visitors daily from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm. For more details, please visit https://www.instagram.com/pierreherme.fsriyadh/ or https://www.fourseasons.com/riyadh/dining/restaurants/pierre_herme/