One Shot

Biography

Chef Romain stepped into the workshop in his village’s bakery and pastry shop for the first time at the tender age of nine. It was at this exact moment that he found his vocation.

That sense of fascination having never left him, he did an apprenticeship in the Jura region with Camille Chevalet, who passed on his passion for chocolate and taught him values such as respect, rigor and sharing.

In 2000, he took the next step in his education with an apprenticeship alongside Philippe Segond. It was in Aix-en-Provence with this Meilleur Ouvrier de France that he got his “BTM” qualification in Chocolate and became a Chocolatier, a role he stayed in until 2011. Romain’s experience has allowed him to take up a hybrid role at Valrhona that combines making chocolate bonbons with R&D, a department in which he has spent four years teaching and learning.

In 2015, Romain joined the L’École Valrhona family as an Instructor and R&D Coordinator. It served as a golden opportunity to showcase the values which define his approach to chocolate-making.

Biography

Chef Mario Bacherini has had a career spanning over two decades across Europe, North America, and the Middle East. A graduate of culinary school in Florence, Italy, he began his journey as a chocolatier apprentice before honing his craft in Michelin-starred kitchens throughout Italy and France. His formative years included training under Olivier Bajard, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, in Perpignan. 

In 2008, Chef Bacherini moved to Paris to join the prestigious Hôtel Plaza Athénée, where he worked alongside French Pastry World Champion Christophe Michalak and contributed to Alain Ducasse’s three Michelin-starred restaurant within the hotel. 

By 2012, he had relocated to New York City to serve as Executive Pastry Chef at Nobu, overseeing pastry operations across three restaurants. During this time, he also traveled globally to lead masterclasses in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Russia, Italy, France, and the United States, sharing his expertise with professionals and aspiring chefs alike. 

In 2017, Chef Bacherini settled in Los Angeles, where he was teaching pastry as an instructor and then launched his own consulting company. Through this venture, he has helped elevate emerging bakeries, pastry shops, and restaurants by developing menus, optimizing production workflows, conducting R&D, and training staff. 

Since 2023, Chef Bacherini has held the role of Valrhona’s Pastry Chef for the U.S. West Coast and Canada, continuing to inspire and innovate within the pastry community.