New Year’s Dessert at SO/ Paris: a truffle and Ugandan vanilla creation in partnership with Eurovanille

Eurovanille
You are the pastry chef at SO/ Paris. Could you tell us about your background?

Sylvain Lucas
I began my career at the Opéra Garnier, where I worked for four and a half years. These early experiences helped shape my approach to pastry, with a strong focus on technique and precision. Today, at SO/ Paris, I continue to pursue this level of excellence in a more creative environment.
 

Eurovanille
What attracts you most to pastry?

Sylvain Lucas
Technique, above all. Dessert is the final impression left with the guest: if it fails, the entire experience can be affected. I value this responsibility and the rigour it requires.
 

Eurovanille
Vanilla plays a central role in your creations. Why is that?

Sylvain Lucas
Vanilla is a cornerstone of my work. It acts as a flavour enhancer, helps control sweetness and creates balance between ingredients. It is an essential element in building a dessert that is both precise and harmonious.
 

Eurovanille
For the New Year’s dessert, you chose a Planifolia vanilla from Uganda. What motivated this choice?

Sylvain Lucas
Ugandan vanilla has a very distinctive character, strong enough to stand up to powerful ingredients. It brings real personality to the dessert and clearly sets itself apart from more classic profiles.

Eurovanille
You paired it with truffle, an ingredient rarely used in pastry.

Sylvain Lucas
Yes, it was a deliberate and bold choice. Vanilla softens the ferrous notes of the truffle, and conversely, the truffle enhances the vanilla. The two ingredients work extremely well together. For New Year’s Eve, I wanted to work with exceptional products and create a truly singular experience.
 

Eurovanille
Could you describe this dessert for us?

Sylvain Lucas
It consists of a hazelnut and macadamia dacquoise, a vanilla–truffle mousse, a vanilla ice cream, and caramelised and roasted macadamia nuts. The aim was to play with textures while maintaining precise aromatic balance.

Eurovanille
Which Eurovanille products do you use on a daily basis?

Sylvain Lucas
Cœur de Vanille is an essential ingredient for me. Its versatility is key: it performs equally well in hot and cold applications and offers a real time-saving advantage in the kitchen, while ensuring consistency and precision.

Eurovanille
How do you view the diversity of vanilla origins?

Sylvain Lucas
Most people are familiar with major origins such as Madagascar or Tahiti, but more confidential regions like Uganda or Congo offer remarkable aromatic profiles. They allow chefs to bring genuine differentiation to their pastry creations.