Oleg ILYİN

The 38 year-old Oleg Ilyin never expected to be a pastry chef when he was a student studying mechanical engineering. But a part-time job in a French pastry shop in Moscow changed his life. He then trained in different schools, in particular France: Valrhona in Tain-L’Hermitage and Bellouet in Paris. He also took courses with fellow Les vergers Boiron consultant, Martin Lippo, at Nitroschool-Vakuum in Barcelona. He became an avid reader of Thuriez Gastronomie magazine, which continues to inspire him. Oleg, who is very competitive, then took part in several competitions in Moscow and Russia and won the distinction of Best Pastry Chef in Moscow. He was also a featured chef at the Russian Cultural Exhibition, held at the world-famous film festival building in Cannes.
Today, his two Oleg Ilyen’s café and pastry shops in Moscow, are doing very well. This gives him the time to train at the gym, make regular appearances on television to teach pastry and dessert making, but also, and more importantly, to spend time with his family and children. Oleg’s credo: make good pastry or don’t do it all.

He creates his own recipes, often spending months to get them right.

“Pastry has to be perfect. I never look at the cost when I’m doing my R&D. I use the best products and try and get the best tastes, and these days without using too much sugar.”

Oleg is also very active online and has started his Internet shop, Season Macaroons by Oleg Ilyin, with delivery in Greater Moscow.