Pierre Hermé , heir to four generations of Alsatian bakers and p'tissiers, started his career at age 14 as an apprentice to the renowned Gaston Lenôtre. Celebrated in France, Japan, and the United States, Hermé, who was dubbed the "Picasso of Pastry" by Vogue , has brought new taste and modernity to the world of pastry. He has published a dozen books, including one volume devoted to his signature flavor, Ispahan, a combination of rose, raspberry, and litchi that has been adopted by pastry chefs everywhere. He has shops in cities around the world.