Originally from the Basque Country and raised in Brittany, Pablo Gicquel is the Executive Pastry Chef at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, one of the most iconic luxury hotels in Asia. Known for his refined, emotion-driven creations, Pablo embodies Mandarin Oriental’s vision: to be fans of the exceptional, every day, everywhere. His love for pastry was sparked early, during his training at the CFA de Ploufragan in Brittany. He apprenticed with two Meilleurs Ouvriers de France: Philippe Bouvier and Laurent Le Daniel, who shaped his discipline, technique, and respect for craft.
Pablo’s career reflects his commitment to excellence, having worked alongside world- renowned pastry chefs such as Thierry Bamas, Laurent Jeannin at Le Bristol Paris, Julien Alvarez at The Peninsula Paris, and Jérôme Chaucesse at Hôtel de Crillon, where he played a key role in the hotel’s reopening. In 2019, Pablo joined Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, where he leads a team of over 70 pastry professionals. His department oversees all dessert creations across the hotel’s ten dining venues including 10 restaurants, alongside the legendary afternoon tea, in-room amenities, events, and seasonal collections.
From intricate sugar showpieces to quietly elegant flans, Pablo’s work is grounded in sincerity, structure, and emotion. Inspired by his childhood, French heritage, and the soul of Bangkok, Pablo’s desserts reflect a unique harmony between nostalgia and modernity. His mission: to craft time-enriching experiences that transform the ordinary into the exceptional.
What inspired you to become a pastry chef?
My grandfather was a baker in Biarritz, and for five generations, my family worked with flour, fire, and early mornings. I didn’t choose pastry, it chose me. It lived in my hands before I even knew it. I grew up watching him rise before the sun, shaping bread with a quiet sense of duty. That rhythm became a part of me. If I were to start over, I would just remind myself to savour the journey, to trust the process and enjoy the small, silent victories. It’s a long road, but one that rewards presence and perseverance.
What is the philosophy behind your food?
Everything begins with the guest. I always ask myself: what do they hope to feel? What memory are they chasing, even if they don’t know it yet? Each dessert is an opportunity to surprise and delight, to transform a moment into something meaningful. At Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, we hold ourselves to this promise: to turn the ordinary into the exceptional. And for me, that means every pastry must carry intention, clarity, and emotion.
What is the latest trend in pastry?
Right now in Bangkok, it’s matcha mania, from classic uses to bold reinventions. Before that, it was flat croissants and hybrid formats. These waves are exciting, but I believe flavors must always lead. What I wish would disappear? Trends that forget their roots, when technique is lost in the pursuit of attention. Our craft deserves more than just fleeting moments. It deserves substance.
Tell us about your your baking style?
My style is built around simplicity, balance, and clarity. I believe in honesty in flavor, every layer should speak with purpose, without excess. At Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, we are “fans of the exceptional,” and to me, that means embracing restraint, seeking harmony, and crafting every element so that the whole sings.
What is your favourite comfort food ?
My comfort lies in simplicity: a warm plate of pasta, a perfectly cooked Hainanese chicken, a crisp salad, or slow-scrambled eggs. In pastry, I love the quiet elegance of a vanilla flan, pure, still, sincere. And the joy of a baba au rhum, bold, generous, festive. Both speak to different parts of the soul.
What was your inspiration to become a pastry chef?
My grandfather remains my guiding light. But beyond him, I’ve been lucky to meet incredible chefs, who’ve taught me with grace and generosity. True inspiration comes from those who share knowledge without ego. In our world, transmission is sacred.
What is your advice to aspiring chefs?
Observe carefully. Listen with humility. Give everything you have, even when no one is watching. Then do it again the next day. This job demands consistency. It’s not just about creating something beautiful, it’s about becoming someone dependable, someone who honors the craft. With that, doors open.
Future plans?
In the near term, I want to keep evolving our seasonal pastry collections at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, a truly exceptional hotel where creativity and culture meet. One day, I’d love to open a small shop, a place where every detail is cared for, where people feel welcome, surprised, and seen.
Do yo consider yourself to be an artist ?
I wouldn’t call myself an artist. Chefs cook, we nourish, we listen, we serve. What we do is deeply intimate, and that carries a beautiful responsibility. Feeding someone is not about spectacle, it’s about care. Art may inspire us, but our purpose is connection.
The topic of local food, from smaller, specialized and personally known producers, is becoming more important. What are some of your local partners from whom you source?
We are proudly committed to local sourcing. At Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, we grow herbs and vegetables in our own garden north of the city. We have beehives that give us our own honey, and we work hand-in-hand with small local producers.
It’s a virtuous circle. By supporting communities, we grow together and we honour our mission to craft time enriching experiences rooted in authenticity.
What is your Signature recipe?
Vanilla Obsession, a dessert that appears simple, but demands absolute precision. It’s a meditation in balance and restraint. One small misstep, and the whole creation falters. It’s an ode to patience, to detail, and to the quiet power of doing less, but doing it well.
What is the key feature of your creations?
Harmony. I seek balance in taste, texture, temperature, even emotion. A good dessert should flow like a well-composed song, nothing dominant, nothing forgotten.
What is the most important consideration when crafting a menu?
The guest always comes first. Who are they? What are they dreaming of tasting?
Every menu should whisper comfort, offer surprise, and reflect on the place where it’s served. It should be a love letter to the moment, and to the people who will receive it.
What are your thoughts on vegan pastry?
I’m not personally vegan, but I take vegan guests seriously. It’s our job to be inclusive, to adapt, to rise to the challenge.
Often, limits spark innovation and creating something exceptional without eggs or dairy demands creativity, discipline, and care. At Mandarin Oriental Bangkok we just launched vegan croissant baked with plant-based butter for example.
What is your Signature dish?
The Vanilla Obsession. It captures everything I believe in clarity, precision, elegance. It’s quiet, but memorable. It’s not just a cake, it’s a philosophy on a dessert.
How can chefs communicate sustainable food better?
Through action, not just talk. Sustainability lives in the details of how we source, how we store, how we plan. Be transparent. Be realistic. Work with local communities, and let your guests feel the story in the product itself.
Which is the dish you are most proud of?
Always the one I’ll make tomorrow. That’s the spirit of this job you’re never done, never satisfied. Each day brings a chance to refine, to surprise, to grow. And that’s where the magic lies: believing that the best is always still ahead.
Vanilla obsession 2025
By Chef Pablo Gicquel, Executive Pastry Chef – Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
A multi-textured celebration of vanilla, caramel, and almond—this signature dessert brings balance, nostalgia, and elegance to the plate.
Recipe Composition
20 portions | Advanced | Chill time: Overnight
Almond Biscuit
Ingredients:
- Whole eggs – 245g
- Brown sugar – 225g
- Almond powder – 367g
- Icing sugar – 82g
- Cake flour – 171g
- Baking powder – 10g
- Egg whites – 408g
- Brown sugar (again) – 143g
- Butter (melted) – 347g
- Salt – 2g
Method:
Whisk whole eggs with brown sugar, then fold in almond powder, flour, and baking powder. Separately, whip egg whites with the second portion of brown sugar, then fold in. Finish by adding melted butter and salt.
Spread on tray and bake at 160°C for 20 min.
- Baba Syrup with Vanilla & Tonka
Ingredients:
- Water – 110g
- Sugar – 15g
- Tonka bean – 2g
- Vanilla paste – 10g
- Gelatin mass – 19g
Method:
Boil water, sugar, tonka, and vanilla. Add gelatin while warm. Cool and use to lightly soak the almond biscuit.
- Crispy Almond Layer
Crunchy, nutty, and smooth.
Ingredients:
- Almond-praline 60/40 – 452g
- Almond paste – 113g
- Feuilletine – 282g
- Jivara chocolate – 141g
- Butter – 56g
- Sea salt – 4g
Method:
Mix praline, almond paste, feuilletine, and salt. Melt chocolate and butter, then fold in. Spread thinly and chill.
- Vanilla Crème Brûlée Insert
Ingredients:
- Whole milk – 251g
- UHT cream – 1258g
- Vanilla pods – 4
- Vanilla paste – 50g
- Sugar – 143g
- Egg yolks – 251g
- Gelatin mass – 63g
Method:
Infuse milk and cream with vanilla pods and paste. Whisk yolks with sugar. Temper and cook at 84°C. Add gelatin, blend, and cast into insert molds. Freeze.
- Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients:
- Sugar – 248g
- Glucose – 79g
- UHT cream – 657g
- Butter – 199g
- Salt – 6g
Method:
Caramelize sugar and glucose. Add warm cream and salt. At 45°C, emulsify with butter. Cool before using.
- Vanilla Ganache Montée
A delicate and airy vanilla chantilly.
Ingredients:
- UHT Cream – 264g + 500g
- Vanilla pods – 3
- Vanilla extract – 10g
- Gelatin mass – 60g
- Opalys white chocolate – 168g
Method:
Heat cream (1) with vanilla pods and extract. Add gelatin, pour over chocolate in three additions. Add cold cream (2), blend. Chill overnight, whip before using.
- Caramel Glaze
Ingredients:
- Sugar – 200g
- Glucose – 75g
- Water – 300g
- NH pectin – 6g
- Vanilla – 2 pods
- Ascorbic acid – 1g
Method:
Make a dry caramel with sugar and glucose. Deglaze with hot water, add pectin and remaining ingredients. Boil, strain, and cool.
Assembly Tips
- Cut discs of almond biscuit and soak with vanilla-tonka syrup.
- Layer with crispy almond base, add frozen crème brûlée insert then pipe caramel.
- Whip the ganache montée and dome over the insert.
- Freeze. Spray with white chococolate and add caramel glaze.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
