Mandarin Oriental's Christmas log and pastries by Pastry Chef Julien Dugourd

To create La Malle Impériale, Julien Dugourd drew inspiration from the long epics through China and Asian craftsmanship to echo the roots of Mandarin Oriental. La Malle Impériale evokes the voyage not only visually, but also gustatively, with French and Asian flavors.

Julien Dugourd wanted the 2024 Yule log to remain aesthetically pleasing throughout the dinner and not end up in a lump in the middle of the table. To achieve this, he came up with the idea of an edible protection, and the idea of the Malle Impériale was born. Guests can now hide the log they've started in this splendid case, in the image of Zitan's Asian wooden furniture.

The Buche itself is composed of a feuilletine crunch, a chocolate cream, a soft chocolate cookie, enhanced by a jasmine-infused passion fruit coulis and an exotic jasmine cream. The whole is coated with a gourmet Guanaja 70% chocolate mousse, made from a blend of cocoa from Trinidad, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Madagascar.

The softness of the buche balances with the crunchiness to give a light, gourmet taste. The jasmine-infused passion fruit coulis adds a freshness that's a pleasant finishing touch to an often imposing Christmas meal. The trunk, sculpted in 70% chocolate and assembled by Julien Dugourd, is the fruit of lengthy manual labor. La Malle Impériale is for 6 to 8 people at 140€ and is available to order from December 21 to 26, 2024.

As well as being tasty, the beauty of the case and the surprise on opening make this buche spectacular. Julien Dugourd also adds that the chocolate in the case can be eaten in the days that follow, as a reminder of that festive dinner. This creation is all the more telling, as chef Julien Dugourd set down his "trunks" at the Mandarin Oriental at the beginning of the summer, and is thus also embarking on a long journey.

Julien Dugourd has also launched a range of pastry creations available at the Mandarin Oriental 's restaurant, Le Camélia. Magnificent creations, revisiting classics such as Saint-Honoré, Paris-Brest and apple tart. We were able to sample the exquisite Saint-Honoré, revisited in the form of an éclair: the perfect dessert for a sweet break in this prestigious hotel.

Chef Pâtissier Julien Dugourd, originally from the Vosges, began his career under the tutelage of Marc Veyrat, then continued his apprenticeship at Monaco's Hôtel de Paris andAlain Ducasse 's Louis XV. He then joined Christophe Michalak at the Plaza Athénée before taking charge of the pastry shop at La Chèvre d'Or in Èze, which boasts 2 Michelin stars.

Julien Dugourd opened his first boutique in Nice in 2023, and has since become an emblematic figure in the world of French patisserie. Freshly arrived at the Mandarin Oriental, the chef invites you to discover his splendid Christmas log: La Malette Impériale.

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