Salt Lake City pastry chef excited to share his French culture, cuisine during Olympics
Jul 31, 2024, 6:54 PM | Updated: Aug 1, 2024, 9:42 am
SALT LAKE CITY — The man behind some of Salt Lake City’s most well-known desserts is really excited about the Summer Games in Paris.
Chef Xavier Baudinet said he grew up in a bakery, and his father was a master baker in Metz, France. After Baudinet toured around his home country, he settled in the United States ten years ago. He has been in Utah ever since.
“I’ve been working at the Grand America working as the executive pastry chef for 10 years,” Baudinet said. “I remember the first time when I had a house in Bountiful, every neighbor would bring me food. I was amazed. Every time I opened the door, I would see a basket of bread, soup or food.”
And when it was announced that the Summer Games would be arriving in France, Baudinet was ecstatic.
“It’s unbelievable. Paris finally has these Olympics after so many years,” he said.
Baudinet expressing his excitement over the Summer Games in Paris. (Shelby Lofton, KSL TV)
Baudinet hopes that Utahns watching the Games will learn more about his home country. He said she sees food as the center of French culture.
“You can show your culture, your history, it’s deeper than that. You can bring a lot of hospitality,” Baudinet said. “You can see a lot of family businesses, small bakeries on each street.”
Baudinet said he runs his kitchen like a team sport and looks for loyalty and hard work in his staff.
“To see all the athletes committed to win, it requires big commitment, big professionalism also. It’s also like in culinary, you have to have a discipline, pay respect to everybody,” he said.
As he follows the events, Baudinet is the one cheering the loudest for the two teams that are representing him.
“I follow the United States (and) France because those are my two lovely countries,” he said.
Unique Summer Games pastries that were baked to celebrate the Olympics. (Shelby Lofton, KSL TV)
Baudinet said it was special to him to see his home country in the international spotlight during an event that brings the world together.
“It’s the only moment everyone’s at peace,” Baudinet said.
And when the Winter Games come back to Salt Lake City in 2034, he hopes to feed the world’s greatest athletes then.
“I’m very grateful to be in Utah. Utah brings me a lot,” Baudinet said.
Chef Baudinet’s bread pudding recipe:
