Dimitri Fayard, Co-chef and Co-owner
Originally from L'isle Arne, France, Dimitri began his culinary training at the age of 16 at the Lycee Pardailhan in Auch, France. There he received the CAP Cuisine and CAP Patisserie, French diplomas for culinary and pastry training. After working in France, Dimitri moved to the United States to work for Francois Payard under newly awarded MOF '97 Jean-Philippe Maury. At Payard's Patisserie & Bistro in New York City, Dimitri supervised the tart station and later was promoted to Chocolatier. Soon after he reunited with Executive Pastry Chef Jean-Philippe Maury at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas as an Assistant Pastry Chef. After 2 years at the Bellagio, he joined the World Pastry Cup Champion 2002 Laurent Branlard at the Ritz Carlton Corporate Hotel Buckhead, Atlanta. In 2001 Dimitri was awarded three gold medals at the Southern Pastry Classic Competition. In May 2002, at only 23 years old, Dimitri joined the opening team as Pastry Chef at the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower. Dimitri realized his long-time dream of owning a pastry shop with wife Keli in 2003 with the opening of Vanille Patisserie.

Awards:
Dimitri - Member Academie Culinaire de France 2009
Keli - Member of Les Dames Escoffier 2009

Team USA World Pastry Champion 2008
Good Eating Award by Chicago Tribune “…they are making a difference in the food and beverage business with their commitment to quality products…” 2008

Voted Top 10 Best Pastry Chef in the US by Pastry Arts & Design Magazine 2007

Voted Best Croissant in Chicago by Chicago Tribune 2004

Voted Best Brownie in Chicago by Women’s Catering Association 2003

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

Keli Fayard, Co-chef and Co-owner
Chicagoland native Keli Fayard is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America where she began her career as a cook with a growing interest in pastry. After 2 years in the business, she pursued this direction and was hired as the Pastry Chef at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, IL. Soon after, she became acquainted with renowned pastry chefs Jacquy Pfeiffer and Sebastien Canonne who were then just about to open the prestigious French Pastry School in Chicago. While Keli participated in opening the school as chef assistant, she was also part of the opening team for Rhapsody restaurant.

After the school's first year, Keli moved to Payard's Patisserie & Bistro in New York City she first began working with Dimitri Fayard on the tart station, as well as testing recipes for owner Francois Payard's new cookbook. After Payard's, she added the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas to her resume of openings, working in the hotel's Lenotre shop. The Bellagio wedding cake team was her next move as she again worked with Dimitri and Chef Jean-Philippe Maury MOF '97. Upon moving to Atlanta, Keli was the Assistant Pastry Chef to Fifth Group Restaurants, responsible for 3 restaurants, catering and banquet facilities and continuing to pursue specialization in special occasion cakes. Keli fulfilled her dream and opened Vanille Patisserie with her husband Dimitri in 2003.