Sebastien Thieffine

The French Pastry School at City Colleges of Chicago proudly welcomed Chef Instructor Sebastien Thieffine in April 2006. Most recently, Thieffine was the Executive Pastry Chef at the acclaimed Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach, where he prepared his signature creations for noted dignitaries and entertainers while directing an 11-chef team.

Surrounded by pastry most of his life, it was almost inevitable that Thieffine would become an  accomplished pastry chef. During his childhood in Reims, France, he spent long hours in the kitchen with his grandfather, a baker. At the young age of 15, his career began with an apprenticeship in the pastry kitchens of Soissons and Reims. His studies there, which focused on both the technical and artistic aspects of the pastry arts, solidified his love for the craft.

After earning his Brevet de Maîtrise, specializing in pastry arts, chocolate and ice cream, he joined Restaurant Marious in Paris, training with Chef Jean Pierre Vigato at the Michelin two-star restaurant Apicius and Chef Gerard Faucher at the acclaimed Faucher. At only 23, he left France to work for the Le Méridien Hotel in Boston, where he spent more than two years as an assistant pastry chef before joining the Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia.

His tenure with the Ritz-Carlton lasted for eight years, with appointments in Philadelphia, Kapalua, Maui and Palm Beach. During this time, Thieffine prepared his unique desserts for numerous hotel openings and national events, gaining notoriety for his intricate, flavorful creations.

The French Pastry School owners, Chefs Jacquy Pfeiffer and Sebastien Canonne, MOF, first met Thieffine during the 2002 World Pastry Forum. In Thieffine, they immediately recognized a drive and curiosity much like their own, and continued to mentor the younger chef over the next few years. The chefs eventually became colleagues when they invited Thieffine to join the school as Chef Instructor in 2006.

Devoted to the pastry arts, Thieffine is thrilled to bring his passion to his students. He is known as curious and dedicated, always looking for ways to challenge the status quo, and is looking forward to sharing his knowledge with his students while, at the same time, learning from them.

Thieffine has appeared in numerous local and national publications and also on The Food Network’s “Follow that Food.” In 2001, he first participated in the National Pastry Team Championship, and went on to win a bronze medal and the best pastry dégustation at the 2004 awards.

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