By Jackie Caradonio
The Pastry Chef Behind the Laguna Beach Bakery Creations
When Montage Laguna Beach’s Bouchée Patisserie debuted in February, it was the French-inspired realization of a dream long held by the resort’s executive pastry chef, Lee Smith. “It has been years in the making,” he says of the sunlit space decorated with pink velvet banquettes and marble countertops. The wait was well worth it—and it came with a silver lining: It gave Smith, whose 25-year career has taken him to Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe, ample time to mine his memory for the perfect menu.
Flavors recalled, combinations filed away, moments of taste carried from kitchens past all informed Lee’s assemblage of 23 new desserts. Coffee eclairs, pistachio choux buns, and strawberry almond petit gâteau sprang forth from this mental vault, among a collection of delicacies that are not only technically exquisite but emotionally transportive—taking guests to Provence or Paris one precious cake and clafoutis at a time.
Signature Desserts at Bouchée
More than merely a chance to show off Smith’s pastry-making prowess, Bouchée is an opportunity to delve into personal flavor favorites. In doing so, he developed dozens of unique iterations of classic French desserts. One standout, a dark chocolate, caramel, and hazelnut cake that he named Shobu, after the Japanese flower, is especially meaningful. “It reminds me of when I first moved to France,” he says. “Those thick, beautiful chocolate bars stuffed with roasted hazelnuts have stayed with me to this day.”
Shobu is crafted over several days, with each element prepared independently before final assembly. A tender sponge, a liquid hazelnut center, and a caramel-laced chocolate mousse form the core components. The hazelnut filling is made in advance, frozen until solid, then encased within the mousse, where it gradually returns to a silky liquid as it warms. A small disc of sponge is added at the base to anchor the structure before the cake is frozen, unmolded, and finished with a gleaming, ultra-thin glaze. After a scattering of roasted hazelnuts, Smith adds slivers of 23-karat gold for a dazzling final flourish.
The experience of tasting Shobu unfolds, similarly, in phases: The hazelnut arrives first, rich and pronounced, followed by layers of caramel and dark chocolate that Lee describes as “not too in your face,” but still full of surprises. “You always want that moment with the first bite,” he says, “where something unexpected happens.”
Shopu, a signature Bouchée cake featuring dark chocolate, caramel, and hazelnut.
Built over several days, the Shobu cake layers hazelnut, caramel, and dark chocolate into a gleaming entremet finished with roasted hazelnuts and 23-karat gold—a signature Bouchée dessert inspired by executive pastry chef Lee Smith’s memories of France.