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When Michel Chaudun set up shop on Rue de l’Université in 1986,
he had already earned a reputation for excellence. Having trained under Gaston Lenôtre, he worked for several years as chef chocolatier at La Maison du Chocolat alongside Robert Linxe.
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The new store
quickly became a success. Generations of Parisian children have stood captivated before his window displays, gazing dreamily at the treasures encased within. And it’s a little-known fact that Michel Chaudun was the first French chocolatier to open a store in Japan in 1991.
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An entire generation of chocolate makers have learned their trade under Michel Chaudun’s tutelage
Alain Ducasse claims to have first “discovered” chocolate while working alongside him under Lenôtre, while Pierre Hermé, who also worked with Michel Chaudun, has often spoken of his “craftsmanship and tenacity”.
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Gilles Marchal then Alexia Santini, custodians of a sophisticated savoir-faire
Just like Michel Chaudun, Gilles Marchal is fanatical about flavour. He did the transition for one year in order to let Alexia Santini be formed by Michel Chaudun and be able to continue to nurture and develop Maison Chaudun – to our immense pleasure.
“DNA will stay the same; it’s merely a new incarnation of the same sensibility. All the cult classics will still be there, and the expertise will include confectionery, custom orders, pastries, and cakes.”
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Chocolate
according to Chaudun
For Chaudun, chocolate is an art form that’s all about balance. An avid believer in assemblage, he delicately combines various cocoa bean “vintages” from all the major chocolate producers (couverturiers) – as if crafting a fine Bordeaux – to create a unique, perfectly balanced blend of chocolate. Maison Chaudun cultivates harmony and balance, leaving to others the search for pronounced tastes or aggressive visuals.
“We’re all about finding subtle, more elegant notes, where the flavours complement each other and linger on the palate. It’s more of a symphony than a fanfare! The very purpose of the assemblage process is to create new, more complex sensations. Single-variety chocolate may be in vogue right now, but as chocolatiers, we regard our savoir-faire as comparable to that of a perfumier, in that we can – and should – make use of each and every available note.”