City Cast Las Vegas logo
Advertisement image

When Vive le France Meets Viva Las Vegas

Posted on July 16
Melinda Sheckells

Melinda Sheckells

A man in a white shirt and black pants gazes up at a statue of a giraffe made of chocolate.

Take a walk on the wild side: Amaury Guichon’s nearly life-size giraffe is made entirely of chocolate. (The Pastry Academy)

One of the most impressive productions in Las Vegas doesn’t require a theater or stage; it takes shape with sugar, vanilla beans, cocoa butter, fruit purees, and heavy cream inside an industrial kitchen in the Arts District.

Here, French-Swiss pastry chef Amaury Guichon turns chocolate into dragons, motorcycles, animals, architectural landmarks, and objects so convincing that millions of viewers wait for proof they are edible.

Guichon co-founded The Pastry Academy in Las Vegas in 2019, a few years before “School of Chocolate” made him a Netflix star. Today, he has millions of social media followers watching every pour, carve, and carefully engineered chocolate reveal.

Behind the viral videos is a serious French technique. Guichon studied pastry in France, apprenticed at Maison Lenôtre in Paris, and later worked in Paris and Las Vegas. The academy transforms that experience into an intensive seven-week program covering pastry, plated desserts, chocolate, ice cream, bread, candy, and chocolate showpieces. Students learn the techniques behind Guichon’s gravity-defying creations while developing original desserts of their own.

This is not the place to wander in for a croissant. The Pastry Academy is a professional training school for aspiring chefs, culinary professionals, and serious pastry enthusiasts. Its presence has quietly made Las Vegas an international destination for French pastry education.

The Eiffel Tower may be made of steel, but Guichon’s Las Vegas creations are considerably more delicious.

Share article

Hey Las Vegas

Stay connected to City Cast Las Vegas and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.
Advertisement image

Keep It Local

See All
Keep It LocalOctober 15

Books by Las Vegas Authors to Read this Fall

From a paparazzo’s desert obsession to Harry Reid’s complicated legacy, these hometown writers explore Nevada’s complex stories.

A person sits cross-legged on a hardwood floor in a bookstore, holding an open book up to their face, surrounded by colorful shelves of books.
Keep It LocalOctober 15

Route 91 Survivor Mark Gray on Writing His First Book

A chance meeting at an Angels game led journalist Mark Gray to tell a Route 91 widow’s story. Now he’s sharing what writing it taught him...

Headshot of journalist and author Mark Gray, smiling warmly in a white button-down shirt against a light gray background.
Keep It LocalOctober 8

Meet Toni James, the Drag Queen Marrying Couples at Las Vegas Pride

Las Vegas drag superstar Toni James has performed since 1988. Now, as a wedding officiant, he’ll marry couples onstage at the 2026 Las Ve...

Drag performer Toni James sings into a vintage-style microphone onstage, wearing a white halter dress, a pearl necklace, and a flower in his hair.
Keep It LocalOctober 8

Where To Spend Your Pride Dollars Year Round

Support queer Las Vegas beyond Pride with four LGBTQ+-owned and community-centered businesses for books, boba, movement, and nightlife.

Two people stand inside The Analog Dope Store surrounded by shelves of books and vinyl records and a large hand-drawn chalkboard mural.
Keep It LocalOctober 1

Your Guide to Halloween Shopping in Las Vegas

From $75 costume rentals and theatrical makeup to haunted tea and real skulls, these four locally owned Vegas shops have your spooky seas...

Four framed illustrations on aged, parchment-like fabric depicting dark fantasy creatures in a medieval manuscript style, propped against a rough stone wall and surrounded by flickering votive candles — prints from the “Thirteen Ghosts” collection available at Halloween Emporium and Haunted Tea Room.
Keep It LocalOctober 1

A Halloween Costume With a Backstage Pass

Go big this Halloween at On Stage Essentials, where pros behind looks for Lady Gaga and 'Absinthe' help beginners add plumes, sparkle, an...

A dramatic costume from On Stage Essentials in Las Vegas displayed on a mannequin, featuring a blue-and-silver sequined corset bodice with black ribbon detailing, white tulle ruffles at the shoulders, waist and wrists, and a matching tulle neck ruffle.
Keep It LocalSeptember 24

Meet Water Street’s Movers and Shakers

From Strip pastry chefs to local architects, discover the passionate people building their businesses and lives right here on Henderson's...

Architect Windom Kimsey stands at a bar at Public Works.
Keep It LocalSeptember 24

Your Water Street Micro-Neighborhood Guide

Discover how Henderson’s Water Street got its name from a 1942 wartime pipeline. Explore the historic district, local businesses, and par...

An open and light dining space with white chairs and tables, wood floors and a chandelier.

The latest in Las Vegas

Las Vegas, ExplainedOctober 20

Can Anyone Read the Election Tea Leaves?

Early vote data is usually a poor barometer for election results. So why’s Nevada different?

A Clark County ‘I Voted’ sticker on a wooden table.
Las Vegas, ExplainedOctober 19

Clark County Addresses Harassment at the ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ Sign

Photographers have become aggressive in demanding tips at the iconic landmark. Has it gone too far?

The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign at sunset on Las Vegas Boulevard.
Las Vegas, ExplainedOctober 16

Take This Week's Las Vegas News Trivia Quiz

Ready for a challenge? Take our weekly quiz, based on the news and stories of this past week in Las Vegas.

President Donald Trump arrives for a Make America Great Again rally at Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport
Las Vegas' BestOctober 15

An Inside Look at the Las Vegas Philharmonic's New Season

Rei Hotoda previews her first full season with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, which includes everything from Beethoven to "Star Wars."

Music director Rei Hotoda conducts the Las Vegas Philharmonic at Reynolds Hall inside the Smith Center.
Las Vegas, ExplainedOctober 13

What to Know Before Early Voting

Explore Nevada’s crucial upcoming election. Inside: Deep dives into the Lombardo vs. Ford gubernatorial race, Henderson & North Vegas may...

People line up to vote at Desert Breeze Community Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. A white sign says “Vote” in English and Tagalog with an arrow pointing to the right, directing voters to the line.
Las Vegas' BestSeptember 30

Your Guide to Las Vegas in October 2026

Discover what to do in Las Vegas this October! From the Hobie Wave sailing championship to the Las Vegas Book Festival and Gilcrease Orch...

Mulit-colored catamarans on the water.
Las Vegas' BestSeptember 30

The Best Halloween Bars, Attractions, and Festivals in Las Vegas

Haunted houses? Shows? Spooky pop-up bars? We've got all that, plus anything else to make Halloween complete in Las Vegas.

A scary monster looks around a corner in a haunted house.
Las Vegas, ExplainedSeptember 30

Just How Doomed Is the Train to California?

Once a surefire promise for the 2028 Olympics, Brightline West faces skyrocketing $21B costs, stalled federal loans, and a sister-company...

A row of yellow, black and silver trains in a train yard.