Christophe Devoille’s career has been shaped by iconic kitchens and experiences across the globe, and it’s his passion for pastry that can be felt through the offerings at Atlantis The Royal
If you wander into Atlantis The Royal and settle in for an afternoon tea, you’ll do so at The Royal Tearoom with Christophe Devoille. The resort’s executive pastry chef has had an illustrious career spanning continents, but his culinary journey began in the east of France, near Strasbourg. “I was not the best at school… I always loved to play or to do something with my hands like a handyman,” he says. This interest, combined with a passion for art, museums, architecture and drawing, found fruition in the world of pastry.
His interest in the field led him to the path of apprenticeships or stages. He later earned his Master Craftsman’s certification (Brevet de Maîtrise) before deciding to explore the world. After watching a TV show focused on French pastry chef François Payard in New York, Christophe was inspired to follow in his footsteps. Within a few months, he went across restaurants in Manhattan sharing his resume, until he was offered a job. In 2000, he moved to New York and began working at a one Michelin star restaurant, serving 500 covers day. “I did it for one year… it was a bit tough, but it was an amazing journey,” he says.
After his return to France, he got the opportunity to interview for a sous chef role at the three Michelin star Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée in Paris. Christophe jumped at the chance and even travelled five hours by train for a 20-minute interview – to great success. By the time he left the restaurant more than two years later, he was its pastry chef. “After that, I left Paris and I moved back to my hometown and worked in a three Michelin star restaurant in Strasbourg. But something was missing for me: the stress and the intensity.” He soon returned to Paris to open Le Jules Verne at the Eiffel Tower and eventually became part of Ducasse’s global corporate team and spent time between Paris, Tokyo, Monaco, Las Vegas and other cities around the world.
After a decade with Ducasse, Christophe moved to Macao to open the Wynn Palace and stayed for nearly four years. He then moved to London to open the revamped Annabel’s after which a brief sabbatical followed… and then Dubai came calling.
Joining in early 2020, Christophe now oversees a team of nearly 60 at Atlantis The Royal resort. “We had a great opening and it’s been an amazing journey. I have 10 bakers and nearly 50 pastry chefs. The plan was to do everything in-house. I don’t want to buy readymade items from outside; we want to offer quality and something different as well. For example, I have six to seven people just in production to make sure everything is fresh every day,” he explains. The offerings in The Royal Tearoom with Christophe Devoille (he’s proud that his name was added to the lounge a few months after opening) go beyond the standard fare: from fresh Danish pastries, Arabic sweets, chocolate bonbons, an afternoon tea and more.
At the heart of his philosophy is seasonality, which he says is an influence from his years spent with Ducasse. At Atlantis The Royal, variety is also key. “For example, we have 16 cakes every day and eight are the best sellers. But the other eight are new every day.” Team members are encouraged by Devoille to create new items, which are placed in the main display at the tearoom. “I think it’s a good thing for them to be proud of their creation,” he says.
Christophe is all praises for his team. “I totally trust my team. When I’m not here, they create and just send me a picture. They know what I like and what I don’t like; I’m very lucky to have an amazing team.”
His beliefs here are rooted in his time with Ducasse and he’s keen to share the knowledge he received as a younger chef. “Among the best things I learned from him was to respect the season, respect the guests by using the proper products, as well as the ideal of discipline and being detail-oriented,” says Christophe, who adds that anyone who passes by the pastry kitchen will be struck by the silence. “There is no noise because we need to be focused on what we are doing. Yes, we will also joke a bit, but if you’re not focused, there is space to forget details.”
He adds, “Sometimes I can be a bit tough with the team, but it’s just because I want them to be stronger and better – for their own future.” He even helps team members find new opportunities when they’re ready to move on. “I’m happy to help them if I can. The pastry world in Dubai is very small. We all know each other.”
This, in a way, echoes what Ducasse told Christophe the first time he left Paris. “He told me, ‘I’ll let you go because I know you will come back one day and you will come back stronger’,” reminisces Christophe. And so he did.
