– Chef chocolatier Guillaume Bichet has left
The young, talented and enterprising confectioner, at the head of nine boutiques in French-speaking Switzerland, has just passed away. Tribute.
Published: 02/02/2024, 1:21 p.m.
Guillaume Bichet in full creation.
LA CÔTE/SIGFREDO HARO
The world of French-speaking confectionery is in mourning. One of its most talented heralds, Guillaume Bichet, has just died following a devastating illness. He was 37 years old. Father of a family, tireless entrepreneur and high-flying craftsman, he was at the head of a small chocolate empire, with a total of around a hundred employees and nine points of sale in Geneva, Versoix, Coppet, Nyon and Montreux.
“He was a truly brilliant boy, with great taste and finesse,” says Philippe Chevrier, the chef of the Domaine de Châteauvieux where Guillaume practiced his art for three years. “He came to me when he was very young, in his early twenties, as a clerk. He quickly became a pastry chef. His subsequent career is an example of stunning success. »
Arrival in Switzerland
Guillaume arrives in Switzerland somewhat by chance. Born in Bordeaux, he grew up between Tahiti, Alsace and the Paris region. He did his apprenticeship in Limoges. At 17, he visited his cousin, who was a sommelier at Domaine de Châteauvieux. The Swiss air suits him. After two years with a chocolatier in neighboring France, he was hired at the Michelin-starred restaurant in Peney, where he quickly climbed the ranks. The young man then goes to Ducret’s house where he meets Élodie. Thunderbolt. She will become his wife, his accomplice and the mother of his son Axel.
La Confiserie de la Fontaine by Guillaume Bichet in Coppet.
ALAIN ROUECHE
In 2011, the couple decided to strike out on their own by taking over the Confiserie de la Fontaine in Coppet. The economic effort is considerable. Families are giving a big helping hand. The Bichets are hanging on. Seven years later, they bought the Cartier store in Versoix. Half a dozen other shops and tea rooms will follow.
World of Sweet Arts
In the meantime, Guillaume finished sixth at the prestigious Mondial des Arts Sucrés. He dreams of passing the competition for Best Worker in France. This is because, under his serial entrepreneur hat, hides a creative and subtle pastry chef, with expertly designed desserts.
Another gourmet serial entrepreneur, Benjamin Luzuy met Guillaume when they were both clerks in Châteauvieux. “We worked hard but we also had the fair at the end of the weekend. He was a joker. An ambitious and passionate prankster, who knew how to reconcile his responsibilities within the brigade and the sense of celebration. We were still laughing recently about our shared professional growth.”
A farewell ceremony will take place on Monday at the St-Robert church in Founex at 2 p.m. The family has launched a fundraiser in favor of the Anjaranay Center and the Cétamada association, based on the island of Sainte-Marie in Madagascar.
Jérôme Estèbe directs the cultural section and the weekend supplement. It covers, in particular, gastronomic and oenological topics. He is the recipient of the local journalism prize from the Berner Zeitung vintage 2002. More info
Did you find an error? Please report it to us.
52 comments