December 2018 Featured Chef: Sylvain Marrari

Clement Design® is known around the globe in the chef industry. We not only take pride in providing premium quality chef jackets, but also in the chefs who wear our amazing brand. From outfitting executive & pastry chefs to high-end restaurants, resorts & clubs nationwide, we love to see success stories from our Clement Design USA chefs.

Sylvain Marrari got into pastry later than most, through hard work and ambition he has found much success in his career. He recently began working at La Centrale in Miami where he was a former pastry chef at Fisher Island Club in Florida. With an accumulation of 14 Michelin Stars it’s quite easy to see why we had to pick this very talented chef to be featured this month. Not only does chef Marrari thrive in the kitchen, he has been wearing Clement Design since he began pastry at just 20 years old (which Chef Sylvain said is a late age to begin).  

His love of food comes from his mother, watching her cook growing up and incorporating all the effort and love required when in the kitchen. At 16 years old Chef Marrari began in a kitchen in alternation (1 week of school and 3 weeks in the restaurant). After 4 years Sylvain made the switch and did a 1-year program in pastry under chef Christophe Lavocat who worked for Michelin Star Restaurants. Chef Lavocat pushed Sylvain to become the talented pastry chef he is today, interested in seeing more of chef Marrari’s work? Follow the link to check out his great Instagram feed.

Q1: Where did you grow up and what brought you to the United States, and eventually to Florida? What's your favorite thing about teaching pastry classes?

A: I grew up in South of France, specifically Nice. I was looking for travel and new experiences. I had the opportunity with the Setai in Miami. This is how it all started & I knew I wanted to come back home after that. When teaching classes I love interacting with the guests, the exchanges we share, guiding, cooking and having fun. Sharing my personal kitchen experiences and giving advice is the best.

Q2: What makes you excited to be working in Miami at La Centrale? What's the biggest challenge you have faced and what advice would you offer to someone starting their journey in the culinary industry?

A: La Centrale is an amazing concept. Based on 3 different floors, 6 restaurants, 2 pastry shops, cooking classes and event + bread program. I love it. The biggest challenge for me was to build a new team, to make them understand my creation process and training them. Also, making our guests come more often to try new desserts. Any advice I could recommend is to learn fast, take notes, focus, be precise, and above all love what you do. Do better the next day and the day after that and so on and so forth.

Q3: Sourcing local and seasonal ingredients is what aids your creativity as a pastry chef. How have Miami's farmers, purveyors, and ingredients inspired your and how have they evolved since your move to the city?

A: I incorporate seasonal fruit in my menus, importing some Latino vibes into it. I moved to Miami for the first time 6 years ago and my menu was very French inspired. I changed when I traveled the country and began to understand the culture. I moved back to Miami 2 years ago and adapted myself to the Miami culture. This involves meshing my French knowledge with Latino & American flavors. Using key lime, dulce de leche, guava, and mango for example

Q4: Have there been any notable chefs, travel, space, or experience that has inspired you throughout your journey as a pastry chef? Did you ever consider becoming a savory chef?

A: I’ve worked for so many talented chefs in France all of which have given me rough and amazing experiences that have made me the chef I am today. One of the most inspiring chefs (and for me one of the best) that I worked for was Phillipe Rigollot. He is very amazing and so talented, social, nice, humble, and funny. When I began my career I was cooking for 4 years before I switched to pastry.

Q5: What's been your greatest experience in the kitchen and why do you choose to wear Clement Design when you're working

A: My greatest experience has been inspiring my nieces to cook (they are twins, 7 years old). After sending them a video of me doing a demo, they send me pictures of what they are making back home with my sister. Waiting for me to come over so we can cook together. Affaire de famille a suivre.

I’ve been wearing Clement Jackets since I started pastry at 20 years old. From jackets to pants, aprons, and shoes, you can’t be disappointed. I might have like 25 jackets and they are all so comfortable, offering different designs I love. The jackets are thin and soft, and created using French quality. You don’t need to iron them, they fit you well, and the factory is in Nice in France.

We surely hope you enjoyed getting some insight into chef Mirrari’s life, what inspires him, and what he recommends for future chefs looking to thrive in this amazing industry. If you are looking for more inspiration check out his Instagram page @sylvainmarrari (we hear he has a special discount code you can use to save when ordering online). If you are in the Miami area, be sure to check out La Centrale as well, this premier Italian food hall offers a 40,000 foot gastronomic emporium of Italian-inspired restaurants, bars, caffés, and markets. Stop by a pastry shop to grab a delight created by Chef Marrari’s team, or maybe even meet him yourself. Thank you again Sylvain, we appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions!