Sébastien Nabaile in 5 pastries

Freshly crowned Pâtissier of the Year 2025 by Gault&Millau, Sébastien Nabaile embodies a bold and refined vision of pastry-making. In charge of sweet dishes at La Table de Pavie, the 4-toque restaurant of the Hôtel de Pavie in Saint-Émilion, he impresses with an approach that is as technical as it is emotional. Trained by the very best, from Marc Meneau to Yannick Alléno, via Philippe Etchebest, he has established himself as a dessert virtuoso, transforming every mouthful into an unforgettable memory.

Today, he opens the doors to his world and shares five emblematic creations. Five sweets that tell the story of his journey, his inspirations and his evolution, between respect for tradition and contemporary audacity.

The dessert he's most proud of: "Super G" sorbet, Moon Harbour gin, château apple jelly, crystal herbs

With his "Super G" sorbet, Sébastien Nabaile signs much more than a dessert: he tells a story, that of the owners of Hôtel de Pavie and the riches that surround the house. "This dessert was inspired by my childhood on a self-sufficient farm. I imagined a creation rooted in the local terroir, where each ingredient evokes a strong link with the land. The apples, the honey, the herbs... everything was sourced within a few kilometers of the restaurant", he emphasizes.

But it's the apples above all that give the dessert its depth. A favorite fruit of Monsieur Perse, the estate's owner, they recall his modest beginnings, when he shone fruit by hand in his first mini-market. With this plate, the chef pays homage to his career and his philosophy of a job well done. Light, fresh and perfectly balanced thanks to a touch of Moon Harbour Gin, this dessert also stands out for its thoughtful approach to the customer experience: "Gluten-free and lactose-free, it is the ideal conclusion to a gourmet meal," says the pastry chef.

His "guilty pleasure" creation that he could eat again and again: Warm chocolate tart with Maury sauce and textured Tahitian vanilla ice cream

For his guilty pleasure, Sébastien Nabaile relies on a timeless, comforting combination: chocolate and vanilla. But behind this apparent simplicity, technique and reflection are very much in evidence. "The warm chocolate tart dough has been rethought to reduce the amount of gluten while gaining in texture, thanks to the reclamation of surplus bread. Transformed into ultra-fine breadcrumbs and mixed with chocolate beans, it produces an extremely crumbly, delicate pastry," explains the pastry chef.

At the heart of the dessert is a silky creaminess with powerful chocolate aromas, enriched by a Maury sauce that adds a deep, vinous touch. "What truly sublimates this dish is the Tahitian vanilla ice cream, the result of a long process of perfection since the opening of my own ice cream shop. Supple, melt-in-the-mouth, with a light twist of maple syrup, it rounds out the flavors and reinforces the regressive side that makes this dessert irresistible", enthuses Sébastien Nabaile. A real call to gourmandise, which can be enjoyed with equal pleasure, even after a hearty meal.

His creation linked to a memory: Van Der Horst cheese

Sébastien Nabaile plunges us directly into his childhood memories, in the heart of the farm where he grew up. "This dessert reminds me of those mornings spent watching the cows being milked at my neighbor's farm, imbued with the smell of hay and warm milk just collected. It's this emotion that I wanted to convey in my dessert, by collaborating with the Van Der Horst dairy, located just 25 minutes from the restaurant", he explains.

The key to this creation? Absolutely fresh milk, collected at 7pm, directly after milking, without ever being chilled. Transformed into a creamy ice cream, it is enhanced by subtle herbal notes of lemon thyme and alfalfa tea, reminiscent of the fields where cows graze. To accentuate this sensation of softness and roundness, milk foam, condensed milk and milk jam enrich the palette of textures and flavors. Finally, as a finishing touch, fresh tomme cheese is finely grated and added at the last moment, to reinforce this milky, generous and gourmet sensation, almost evoking the creamy freshness of a petit-suisse.

The most popular with customers: Poire en croûte comestible, Sauternes sorbet, crème fermière

Some desserts are so memorable that they've become must-haves. Such is the case with this edible pear en croûte, which has been on the menu at La Table de Pavie for three years, buoyed by the enthusiasm of our customers. "It's a comforting, timeless dessert, reminiscent of the great French pastry classics like charlotte and Saint-Honoré, with its subtle balance of acidity, roundness and gourmandise," comments Sébastien Nabaile.

At the heart of the plate is a perfectly ripe pear, stewed in the oven until it reaches a melting texture. It rests on a Saint-Émilion macaroon, whose sweetness contrasts with the freshness of the Sauternes sorbet, adding an elegant, slightly liquorish touch. The Designy farmhouse cream wraps the whole in a creamy sweetness, while the almond underlines the richness of the aromas.

Given the constant success of this dessert, Sébastien Nabaile has chosen to put it back on the menu every year, despite his constant desire to innovate. i like to surprise," he says, "but the most important thing is to understand what gives guests pleasure. And sometimes, a successful dessert doesn't need to be replaced."

His latest creation: Coussinet with fig and honey from the château, refreshed with lemon balm leaves from the garden

"In Saint-Émilion, fig trees grow everywhere, nestled between the ramparts and the old stones. They give off that unmistakable scent of fig leaves, a fragrance both green and sweet that permeates the village's alleyways. It's this sensation, this particular olfactory memory, that I wanted to capture in this dessert", explains the pastry chef.

Each year, his fig creation evolves, and this time, he has imagined a plate where textures and fragrances dialogue in perfect harmony. A fig leaf jelly provides the first light, vegetal note, followed by a lemon balm ice cream, which refreshes and balances the whole. Roundness comes next with a buttery brioche - with fig leaf-infused butter - reinforcing this unique aromatic imprint. For the fruit, a two-stage process: a roasted fig with peppery notes and a stewed fig, melting and intense.