Visual Portfolio
Recognition through juried national competition among France's leading pastry professionals
2005 | La Roche-sur-Foron, France
Multi-day sugar sculpture "Naissance du printemps" demonstrating advanced techniques in pulled sugar, blown sugar, and pastillage
2003, 2004 & 2005 | Challenge des Mains d'Or
Consecutive national-level finalist across three successive years, culminating in a 3rd place podium — sustained elite competitive performance
Allier Department & Auvergne Region
National finalist program — Gold Medal, Allier Department · Bronze Medal, Auvergne Region · Rotary Club Besançon 1st Place
Additional Distinctions: Finalist, Meilleur Apprenti de France Auvergne Region (Bronze Medal), Finalist, Meilleur Apprenti de France Allier Department (Gold Medal), Rotary Club Besançon 1st place (team)
Executive roles in distinguished organizations including luxury hotel brands and Michelin-starred operations
Food Concepts 360
Jun 2021 - Sep 2024
Direct report to Michelin-starred Chef Conrad Gallagher. Management of international teams across Africa, Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Projects for Ritz Carlton, Park Hyatt, Marriott, and royal estates.
Hotel Borobudur Jakarta
Dec 2017 - May 2021
An iconic 5-star heritage property in the Indonesian capital, regularly hosting diplomatic delegations, heads of state, and international VIP guests.
700-room 5-star hotel with 9 outlets, 4 ballrooms, 15 function rooms. Management of 45 staff. Selected as Lead Judge for Indonesian Pastry Alliance Championship (2018) based on reputation.
City of Dreams Manila, Philippines
Oct 2014 - Mar 2016
One of Southeast Asia's premier integrated luxury casino resorts, featuring multiple Michelin-caliber dining venues including The Tasting Room.
250-room integrated resort with 10 outlets and extensive VIP gaming operations. Managed 20-person pastry team delivering high-volume, luxury-standard production across diverse dining concepts.
La Cigale Hotel, Qatar
May 2011 - Aug 2012
Doha's leading 5-star luxury hotel, consistently ranked among the finest properties in the Arabian Gulf and preferred address for international business and government elites.
240-room luxury property with 9 outlets, 2 ballrooms, 10 function rooms. Management of 75 pastry staff.
One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai
Sep 2008 - Feb 2009
Internationally recognized ultra-luxury 5-star resort brand; the Dubai property is one of the most celebrated luxury addresses in the Middle East, serving royalty and global dignitaries.
Ultra-luxury resort: 475 rooms, 4 villas, 18 F&B outlets, 10 function rooms. Management of 35-person pastry brigade.
La Réserve Geneva
Oct 2005 - Sep 2006
Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star property; one of Europe's most exclusive boutique luxury hotels, serving Geneva's international diplomatic and financial elite.
Forbes Travel Guide recognized property. 100 rooms, 3 outlets. Classical French pastry in 5-star luxury environment serving international elite and diplomatic clientele.
Pastry Chef
Accor Group
Executive Pastry Chef
30-person team · France
Pastry Sous Chef
Relais Desserts · Gold Medal Winner
Complete career history with detailed project scope available in Experience section
Featured in trade publications and media outlets documenting professional standing and expertise
Executive Roundtable Feature | July 2013
Leading industry publication distributed to thousands of executive chefs and hospitality decision-makers across the GCC nations.
Core panelist invited for technical expertise in leading trade publication for professional chefs in Middle East region. Discussion on customer preferences, allergen management, ingredient quality, and dessert innovation.
View full articleDistributed to hospitality professionals across GCC nations
"Un chef pâtissier haut de gamme" | 2010
A major regional French daily newspaper with a daily readership exceeding 150,000 — the dominant print media authority for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Regional daily newspaper profile documenting career trajectory from French apprenticeship under recognized masters to international executive roles. Cultural ambassadorship of French culinary traditions abroad.
Read full articleCirculation serving Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region
Selected as judge for Indonesia's only WorldChefs-endorsed event. IPA President Chef Rahmat Kusnedi confirmed: "Chef Laronde was selected as a Judge due to his reputation as one of the best pastry chefs working and living in Indonesia at the time. We seek judges that are at the very top of their careers."
WorldChefs functions similarly to the International Olympic Committee, with a network of 110+ national chef associations globally.
Methodologies adopted by international organizations with measurable business outcomes
30%
Waste Reduction
Documented reduction across multiple properties
12
Simultaneous Projects
Concurrent management across continents
60+
Outlets Supplied
Multi-outlet supply chain management
Focus: High-Volume Bakery Science & Concept Implementation
Chef Laronde specializes in bridging the gap between elite culinary artistry and high-volume commercial production. His expertise lies in integrating advanced industrial bakery equipment—such as Rheon encrusting machines and high-capacity commercial ovens—into large-scale culinary operations. He is highly skilled in bakery science and commercial R&D, engineering complex, shelf-stable fillings and dough formulations that maintain 5-star quality while strictly adhering to the specific food safety regulations and compliance standards of each project's host country.
In the kitchen, Chef Laronde's approach to profitability is rooted in extreme operational efficiency and smart menu engineering. He begins by auditing back-of-house workflows to streamline prep times and reduce unnecessary labor costs, building kitchen environments that can handle massive volume without sacrificing quality. This discipline creates a highly efficient work environment that protects the bottom line during the aggressive scaling of large-scale, 5-star culinary operations.
Once the kitchen is stabilized, time is aggressively reinvested into research and development. By consistently testing and standardizing high-yield, trend-forward recipes, he helps hospitality groups capture new market share. Furthermore, his rigorous approach to supply chain management and vendor negotiation across international markets allows him to significantly lower Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), driving gross margin expansion across all culinary outlets.
Adopted by Accor Group (Sofitel) and implemented for Ritz Carlton, Park Hyatt, Marriott properties.
85,000-hectare South Africa estate and châteaux operations. Replicated across royal properties.
Chef Laronde has consistently demonstrated exceptional skills in the culinary arts, particularly within the domain of luxury pastry. His proficiency in commercial kitchen design and ability to enhance team performance has been instrumental in elevating the art of gastronomy across our international projects.
Conrad Gallagher
Michelin Star Chef & CEO, Food Concepts 360
Two Michelin stars | 30+ years experience | International consultancy
I like to call Julien "the chef with the Golden Hands" as he can create art from sugar and chocolate with great creativity [and] modern innovation, always maintaining a humbled focus on guest satisfaction. His cake is nothing but a piece of art.
Patrick Maurin
Former Executive Chef, Hotel Borobudur Jakarta
Former Executive Chef, Trump Ocean Club International Hotel & Tower Panama
Julien possesses all characteristics needed for an Executive Chef: extremely talented in the craft, skills to manage a kitchen, create innovative recipes, menu planning skills, and ability to lead, train and supervise. Simply put, there is no doubt in my mind that Julien is one of the best pastry chefs I know.
William Mahi
Chef de Cuisine, Jing (1 Michelin Star), Peninsula Beijing
Former Chef de Cuisine, Le Spondi (2 Michelin Stars), Athens
Featured Competition Work
Large-scale chocolate sculpture created for Indonesian national competition as a mentorship project. This piece incorporates authentic Indonesian cultural motifs and architectural elements, demonstrating advanced chocolate work including structural engineering, figure sculpting, and multi-day production requirements.
Comprehensive record of competitive distinctions, leadership positions, published recognition, and original contributions across 29 years of international culinary practice.
Recognition through juried national competition among professional peers.
La Roche-sur-Foron, France
France's premier national pastry competition
Context and Significance:
Third place among professional pastry chefs in 2005 demonstrates technical ability recognized at the national level, with consistent top-ten placements showing sustained competitive excellence over multiple years.
Executive Roundtable Feature
Leading industry publication distributed to thousands of executive chefs and hospitality decision-makers across the GCC nations.
Core panelist invited for technical expertise discussing customer preferences, allergen management, ingredient quality, and dessert innovation.
View full article"Un chef pâtissier haut de gamme"
A major regional French daily newspaper with a daily readership exceeding 150,000 — the dominant print media authority for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Regional newspaper profile documenting career trajectory from French apprenticeship to international executive roles.
Read full articleIndonesia's only WorldChefs-endorsed national competition — WorldChefs operates as the global governing body for culinary professionals, with 110+ national associations worldwide.
"Chef Laronde was selected as a Judge due to his reputation as one of the best pastry chefs working and living in Indonesia at the time. We seek judges that are at the very top of their careers with the expertise and knowhow to properly assess best culinary creation."
— Chef Rahmat Kusnedi, President, Indonesian Pastry Alliance
Selected Executive Appointments: A record of critical leadership roles across distinguished ultra-luxury hospitality brands spanning 29 years of international culinary practice.
United States
Currently conducting highly confidential, stateside research and development focused on the aggressive industrial scaling of artisan pastry. Engineering high-volume, shelf-stable dough formulations that maintain 5-star Michelin quality while meeting strict FDA/USDA compliance for upcoming mass-market U.S. franchise distribution.
Food Concepts 360 (Conrad Gallagher)
Management of international team across Africa, Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Projects included Ritz Carlton, Park Hyatt, Marriott, and royal estates. Spearheaded a massive independent project in Africa, directly recruiting, training, and driving a workforce of 120 staff to successful execution.
Hotel Borobudur Jakarta
An iconic 5-star heritage property in the Indonesian capital, regularly hosting diplomatic delegations, heads of state, and international VIP guests.
700-room luxury hotel with 9 outlets, 4 ballrooms, and 15 function rooms. Led 45-person pastry brigade delivering operations across dining venues, VIP room service, and extensive banquet programming.
Aura Hospitality, Doha, Qatar
Spearheaded the pastry division launch for 36 new restaurant concepts in Doha, Qatar, successfully scaling operations to support 50 total venues while managing and training a brigade of 95 pastry staff.
City of Dreams Manila, Philippines
One of Southeast Asia's premier integrated luxury casino resorts, featuring multiple Michelin-caliber dining venues including The Tasting Room.
250-room integrated resort with 10 outlets and extensive VIP gaming operations. Managed 20-person pastry team delivering high-volume, luxury-standard production across diverse dining concepts.
Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa
Accor Group flagship property in Bahrain with extensive spa and wellness programming.
Led dedicated pastry brigade of 10 chefs servicing 230-room 5-star luxury resort with 9 dining outlets, in-room dining, and extensive banquet operations for ballroom and 5 function rooms.
Ocean View Hotel, Dubai
Orchestrated the complete setup of the pastry department for Ocean View Hotel opening, overseeing budget allocation, equipment procurement, and menu engineering for 395 rooms, 7 outlets, and extensive banqueting operations with 30-person team.
La Cigale Hotel, Doha, Qatar
Doha's leading 5-star luxury hotel, consistently ranked among the finest properties in the Arabian Gulf.
240-room luxury property with 9 outlets, 2 ballrooms, and 10 function rooms. Management of 75 pastry staff. Coordinated high-volume banquet operations and diverse outlet requirements.
ADIS, Montargis, France
Executive Pastry Chef for major high-volume facility, overseeing the entire business lifecycle—from raw material sourcing and production to retail operations and sales strategy—for bread, pastries, and chocolate confections. Managed 30-person production team across bakery production, 2 pastry displays, and chocolate display operations.
Château d'Augerville, Fontainebleau
100-room 5-star château hotel, golf, and spa property in the Fontainebleau region.
Retained as Consulting Pastry Chef to elevate 5-star standards, designing bespoke artistic sugar showpieces for VIP weddings and developing a luxury line of chocolates and macarons for international export.
One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai
Internationally recognized ultra-luxury 5-star resort brand; the Dubai property is one of the most celebrated luxury addresses in the Middle East.
Ultra-luxury resort with 475 rooms, 4 villas, 18 F&B outlets, and 10 function rooms. Managed 35-person pastry brigade across 18 diverse culinary concepts requiring bespoke programming for VIP villa service.
Café Najjar (The Cookers), Beirut, Lebanon
Directed central pastry operations to supply 60 local outlets daily, managing end-to-end production and export logistics for frozen product line distributed across the Middle East. Led 15-person production team.
Sebastien Brocard / Relais Dessert International
Prestigious Relais Desserts member patisserie in France under Gold Medal winner Sebastien Brocard.
Served as Pastry Sous Chef for this world-class patisserie, upholding elite standards in production, artistic sugar work, and product innovation under direct mentorship of internationally recognized master.
La Réserve Geneva, Switzerland
Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star property; one of Europe's most exclusive boutique luxury hotels.
100-room Forbes-recognized property with 3 outlets. Classical French pastry in 5-star luxury environment serving Geneva's international diplomatic and financial elite, including Sunday brunch service for 400 guests.
Pâtisserie Vergne (Relais Desserts International), Audincourt & Belfort
Esteemed Relais Desserts International member house under Georges and Eric Vergne.
Completed advanced technical training under the esteemed Georges and Eric Vergne (Relais Desserts International). Concurrently achieved the rigorous BTM (Brevet de Technicien des Métiers) in Pastry, Chocolate, Ice Cream, Confectionery, and Catering.
Le Sofilia, Vichy (France)
Launched culinary career under the direct mentorship of Chef Jean Paul Bardet, establishing a rigorous foundation in classic technique and cultivating a lifelong philosophy centered on guest satisfaction.
Chef Laronde has consistently demonstrated exceptional skills in the culinary arts, particularly within the domain of luxury pastry. His proficiency in commercial kitchen design and ability to enhance team performance has been instrumental in elevating the art of gastronomy across our international projects.
Conrad Gallagher
Michelin Star Chef & CEO, Food Concepts 360
I like to call Julien 'the chef with the Golden Hands' as he can create art from sugar and chocolate with great creativity [and] modern innovation, always maintaining a humbled focus on guest satisfaction.
Patrick Maurin
Former Executive Chef, Hotel Borobudur Jakarta
Visual Portfolio
Two decades of artistry — chocolate sculptures, pulled sugar, blown isomalt, and culinary mastery across elite competitions and luxury hotel properties worldwide.
Images Coming Soon
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Culinary Video
All work photographed across luxury hotel properties, patisserie ateliers & national competitions — 2002 to present
Note: AI background removal was used on select visuals to highlight product details.
Available for executive culinary positions, consulting projects, and speaking engagements worldwide.
Areas of Expertise: