Dimitri Fayard began his culinary training at the Lycee Pardailhan in Auch, France. After receiving his CAP Cuisine and CAP Patisserie (French diplomas for culinary and pastry training) he was hired by Philippe Uracca MOF '93 to work in his kitchen and produce pastries for three of his highly acclaimed retail pastry shops. He left Uracca's for the opportunity to work in the United States for François Payard, who had hired newly awarded MOF ‘97 Jean Philippe Maury to run his kitchen. At Payard's Patisserie & Bistro, he ran the tart station and later was promoted to chocolatier.
Soon after, he reunited with Executive Pastry Chef Jean Philippe Maury MOF ‘97 at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas as one of the assistant pastry chefs. There, he was responsible for a team of 11 and the production of pastries for four restaurants, a 24-hour café, two pastry shops, room service desserts and all wedding cakes. After 2 years at the Bellagio, he joined the 2002 World Pastry Champion and a fellow chef from Uracca's, Laurent Branlard, at the Ritz Carlton Corporate Hotel in Buckhead, Atlanta. During this time Dimitri Fayard was also awarded three gold medals at the Atlanta Pastry Classic Competition.
By May 2002, at only 23 years old, Dimitri Fayard joined the opening team of the Hotel Sofitel Water Tower in Chicago as executive pastry chef. He is now the owner of Vanille Patisserie, a Chicago-based upscale French pastry shop that specializes in tart/entremets, chocolates/candies, breakfast pastries and wedding cakes. In 2007, Pastry Arts & Design named Dimitri as one of the Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America. In 2008, he was part of Team USA at the Amoretti World Pastry Championship that won the gold.
Awards:
Gold Medal - Team USA - Amoretti World Pastry Championship 2008
Silver Medal - Overall - National Pastry Championship 2003
Gold Medal - Overall - Southern Pastry Classic 2001
Gold Medal - Showpiece - Southern Pastry Classic 2001
Gold Medal - Chocolate Cake - Southern Pastry Classic 2001
3rd Place - Apprentice Competition - Festival D'Occitanie 1997