OBITUARIES / PASSINGS / Gaston Lenotre

Gaston Lenotre, 88, the French pastry maker known for his innovative desserts, died Thursday at his home in Sologne, south of Paris, after a long illness.

“Thanks to his talent, creativity, rigorous and exacting standards, he elevated patisserie to an art,” President Nicolas Sarkozy said in a statement.

Born in the Eure district of Normandy in 1920, Lenotre developed a passion for baking early in life. The son of cooks, he revolutionized French pastry making by inventing lighter versions of the country’s traditional desserts such as macaroons, mousses and charlotte cakes.

He opened his first pastry shop in his native region in 1947 before moving to Paris 10 years later. His shop in the well-to-do 16th arrondissement featured his trademark “Success” nougat cream and macaroon cake.

In 1964, he expanded into catering for receptions, a business that later grew into an international chain of chic pastry and catering outlets.

His company was acquired by hotel and services group Accor in 1985, leading to further expansion abroad. There are Lenotre outlets in 12 countries, including the United States, Japan and Saudi Arabia.