Sponsored: From the streets of Mexico to the kitchens of Paris, Nina Métayer’s journey to becoming one of the most respected pastry chefs of her generation has been anything but conventional. What began as a practical decision to work in bakeries grew into a passion for pastry.

We caught up with Métayer at Gulfood 2026, where she was attending as a KIRI Professional brand ambassador, showcasing her culinary expertise and connecting with industry peers. In this interview, she opens up about her career, her approach to creating desserts, and the lessons she has learned along the way, from mastering technique to leading teams and inspiring the next generation of female chefs.

When you look back at your career, did you always want to be a pastry chef?

No, not at all. When I started, after school, I wasn’t very good at school because it was very complicated for me to stay more than five minutes in a chair. So, I decided to become a baker at the beginning because I travelled in Mexico and wanted to live there, and I saw that being a baker would be a good way to live in Mexico. When I started in the bakery, I fell in love with bread. After my apprenticeship, I worked a little bit, and when I came to Paris, I didn’t find any bakery jobs because it was considered a man’s job. You need a lot of muscle for the flour bags—they’re very heavy. So I didn’t find any jobs in a bakery, and I started making pastry instead.

At the beginning, I didn’t like pastry at all. I wasn’t passionate, and I wasn’t precise. But pastry demands excellence and rigour. Every day, I learned that precision is not optional — it is the foundation of creativity. That philosophy still guides me today, and it’s also why I chose to partner with Kiri® Professional. We share the same values: precision, consistency, and a constant desire to evolve, and they support my creativity on a daily basis.

What made you stay in pastry instead of returning to the bakery?

I never actually chose to stay in pastry. But the more I worked in it, the more I liked it. When you know the technical side well, you can start to be creative. There is a lot of creativity in pastry. I love working with a team, the team spirit. That’s why I stayed in pastry. But I did buy the bakery where I learned, so now I have two bakeries. Sometimes I bake with my bakers, but I’m not a baker anymore because I don’t have enough skills. I focus on pastry, but I still love bread, fermentation, and making bread.

How do you approach creating a new pastry or dessert?

Creativity in desserts and pastries is about trying and trying again. You never really know where you’re going, and that’s what’s interesting. Creativity comes from the challenges you encounter. For me, good technique and high-quality ingredients are inseparable. Once you have both, you can start experimenting. With Kiri® product I know the texture remains stable, the flavour remains clean, and the product behaves consistently across applications. The goal is to create something that goes beyond just a technique—it needs to convey emotion and something deeper inside us.

Can you tell us about a dessert or pastry that you make often?

I like classical, traditional desserts. I enjoy adding something extra to a traditional dessert while keeping its essence. The “something extra” could be an ingredient, a piping technique, or how you roll the dough. It could be a small, crunchy detail. You might not see it, but you can feel it—and it makes the dessert better. One of the desserts I particularly enjoy creating is La Délicate Gourmandise. It beautifully combines smoothness and crunch. I use Kiri® Professional to prepare the Chantilly because it brings both structure and smoothness. For the biscuit, I add roasted almonds to bring depth and crispness. The combination of the two creates a truly harmonious and indulgent experience.

You’ve worked in so many kitchens. What were the challenges, and what did you learn?

The biggest challenge in a kitchen is working with the team. That’s what I love most, more than the pastry itself. Everyone has a different character and point of view. How do you handle moods, problems, and conflicts? The team needs to support each other and work toward results. Everyone brings their own strengths, and only by combining them can you succeed and push further.

I see my partnership with Kiri® Professional in a similar way. It’s not just about using a product — it’s about co-creation. We exchange ideas, explore new applications, and push boundaries together. That collaborative dynamic is what makes innovation exciting and forward-looking.

How has your leadership style evolved?

It changes every day because every day brings challenges. When things are difficult, I try to find solutions and reflect on what kind of manager and person I want to be. I aim to be the best version of myself, but I rely on the people around me. Challenges are what make us grow. If things are too easy, we might rest, but growth comes from facing difficulties and learning from every detail.

What advice do you have for aspiring female chefs?

Female chefs need to trust themselves. Love yourself, care for yourself, because often women care for everyone else but not enough for themselves. Be kind to yourself first, and then you’ll have the space and energy to care for others. Trust yourself, even if you make mistakes, because that’s how you grow. Technical confidence is fundamental. When you work with ingredients you trust — ingredients that behave predictably and support your creativity — you feel stronger. That’s why choosing the right partners

matters. Surround yourself with people and brands that share your values and support your growth.

What currently excites you the most about pastry?

I’m French, so I value close connections with friends, but what excites me most is meeting people from everywhere. We can learn from everyone. Being open-minded fuels creativity.

I’m particularly inspired by the energy of chefs in the Middle East. Through my partnership with Kiri® Professional, I have the opportunity to connect with culinary communities in the region, share techniques through demonstrations and masterclasses, and explore innovative applications together.

To create, we need to feed ourselves with new experiences, smells, textures, and emotions. That’s what pushes the boundaries of pastry and allows me to innovate.