French born Chef Dominique Moudart was born and raised in Lille. As a member of the Association Ouvrière des Compagnons du Devoir, he travelled across seven regions of France between 1984 and 1991 to explore the local bread varieties and production methods, gaining a comprehensive knowledge of artisan bread making. During this time, Chef Dominique also gained a French Master Baker diploma to extend his knowledge even further.
Chef Dominique moved to London to lead the team of bakers at The Bagatelle Concept in charge of producing a variety of breads to leading hotels and restaurants. In 2009, Chef Dominique progressed to the multi award-winning Honeyrose Bakery, the supplier to a number of leading establishments across the country including luxury department store Harrods, before moving to work with Chef Paul Rhodes. In this new role, Chef Dominique assisted the creation of a variety of international bread types and delicate pastries for clients across London and beyond. Chef Dominique has been a member of the Fédération des Compagnons Boulangers Pâtissiers Restés Fidèles au Devoir since 2012, a group of bakers and pâtissiers who strive to preserve their craft and pass the techniques on to the next generation.
Chef Dominique joined Le Cordon Bleu as pâtisserie teaching Master Baker in 2013.
What made you want to be a chef and then a teaching chef at Le Cordon Bleu?
I love baking, it is my absolute passion, so I thoroughly enjoy passing on my knowledge and skills to the students.
One tip for an aspiring baker?
Be flexible and don’t just follow a recipe. Interpret everyday differently as there are many variables that can affect your bread on a day-to-day basis, so you must learn how to be flexible.
What is your favourite ingredient?
I don’t have a favourite ingredient, but my favourite bread is sourdough – not too much acidity and a good crust
The best products need the best ingredients.
What do you think is the most challenging technique to master in the bakery world?
A croissant! Incorporating the butter into the dough can be tricky. You must get the right consistency and the right temperature of butter to make a good one.
How do you go about making products for a bakery and making sure that you have all the ingredients you need consistently?
The best products need the best ingredients. If you’re developing a new product that you will need to make thousands of, you need to make sure that you can be consistent! Don’t make promises you can’t keep to the customer, meaning that you fluctuate in quality – you can’t produce something of excellent quality on a Tuesday and something bad on a Wednesday.
