Las Vegan named as top pastry chef by magazine

Kamel Guechida, pastry chef of the Mobil Five-Star restaurant Joël Robuchon, has been named pastry chef of the year by Bon Appétit magazine in its 10th annual Bon Appétit Awards.

The executive pastry chef for the Joël Robuchon and L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon restaurants at the MGM Grand, Guechida says he was "very surprised" to learn of the honor.

Guechida, whose signature dessert is the soufflé, says he needs "motivation and inspiration" to do his job. By working with acclaimed chef Robuchon, Guechida gets both. He says he enjoys the challenge of creating desserts to complement Robuchon's menu.

"I do not like to make the same things day after day," says Guechida.

Guechida, 37, grew up in southwestern France and received a degree in professional pastry specializing in chocolates and confections from the Centre de Formation et d'Apprentissage de Boulzac.

In 2000, while working in Switzerland with chef Freddy Girardet, Guechida met chef Joël Robuchon. Since then, Guechida has worked at Robuchon's restaurants in Macau, Tokyo and Hong Kong and was a member of Robuchon's opening team for his restaurants in Paris and Monte Carlo.

Guechida came to Las Vegas in 2005 after Robuchon extended an invitation for him to join his team in opening his first restaurant in the United States.

Besides a love for his job, Guechida also enjoys sampling the variety of dishes offered by other chefs in Las Vegas.

"Las Vegas is great," Guechida says. "There are so many great restaurants in Las Vegas."

To Alexandre Gaudelet, director of food and beverage at MGM Grand, the honor given to Guechida is a noteworthy accomplishment.

"We are all extremely proud of Kamel," says Gaudelet. "In this industry it is definitely an achievement for the restaurant and the hotel."

Guechida and his team fill "a complex role," says Gaudelet. "They cater pastries for The Mansion, which is only for invited guests, and Joël Robuchon as well as every single pastry at L'Atelier."

"It is a real reflection of Kamel being a strong leader of 22 pastry chefs trying to maintain the quality," adds Gaudelet. "He has done a fantastic job leading the team."

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