When I bake at home, that usually means chocolate chip cookies or maybe a simple cake—not from a box, I might proudly add. Oh, sure, I’ve gotten too ambitious over the years, making fortune cookies (the paper stuck to the cookies) and pies (lumpy, burned, thick, bad), but I’ve learned my lesson. Let’s face it—just because you have mastered Coq au Vin, doesn’t mean you should attempt a French dessert. Let’s leave those for the professionals.
And now, that’s easier to do than ever before, with the opening of a cute new shop conveniently located just down the block from the Webster Place movie theaters. Although it has already been open for a short time, Vanille Patisserie, located at 2229 N. Clybourn, celebrated its grand opening July 29.
We’re not talking Oreos. The delicacies here can’t be found at your local Dominick’s. Instead, visitors should regularly expect to find artful pastries combining traditional European methods with modern flavors, all made in-house with high-quality ingredients.
Vanille Patisserie is the work of co-owners and co-pastry chefs Keli and Dimitri Fayard, who trained under renowned pastry chefs Jacquy Pfeiffer and Sebastien Canonne. Keli went on to work at Payard Patisserie & Bistro in New York and at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, all before her 30th birthday. Now, just 30, this Kankakee native has big plans to soon offer bread and croissants, which, if they are as authentic as the rest of the offerings, should have folks lining up outside the door.
Only 25 years old, Dimitri, originally from Toulouse, France, began his career at the age of 16, and says he knew he was going to be a pastry chef at the age of 12. He received both pastry and culinary certificates in France before working at Payard Patisserie & Bistro in New York, spent two years at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and then moved on to the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead in Atlanta. At the age of 23, Dimitri was named Executive Pastry Chef for the Sofitel Water Tower Chicago. ‘He loves everything about pastry,’ says Keli.
‘With this experience we offer our expertise,’ explains Keli. ‘It’s a real French pastry shop. It’s not just genoise cake and lemon tart.’ What this means, is that the menu includes individual pastries, handmade chocolates and candies, as well as the kind of heart-stopping wedding cakes that will surely overshadow those of your lesser friends. Choose from elegant monochromatic schemes, a brown and white checkerboard pattern on the middle layer, or others, all decorated with a luxurious display of flowers and ribbons. The more freedom Keli has with a cake design the better, and is excited to get started on a 3-1/2 foot Taj Mahal wedding cake.
Passion fruit tarts, triple chocolate mousse cakes, classic éclairs, and a new style of lemon meringue are some of the treats available. ‘Our pastries are not overly sweet, they are balanced,’ explains Keli. ‘They have full extraction of flavor and are fresh, fresh, fresh.’
Customers can also choose from classic candies like French nougat, chocolate truffles and bonbons, pate de fruit (fruit jelly), and even lollipops. ‘Our favorite item on the menu,’ explains Keli, ‘is the Entrement Vanille (vanilla cake).’ The cake is composed of white chocolate mousse, vanilla creme brulee, exotic fruit coulis, coconut biscuit, and Sable dough on the bottom. The cake is then finished with clear yellow glaze.
Keli’s favorite item to make is birthday cakes. ‘Crazy-styled birthday cakes,’ she says. ‘With personality and whimsy. The more challenging the better!’ Past challenges have included a picnic basket, a fish bowl, and a yacht. Needless to say, the pastry style at Vanille Patisserie is modern, using new techniques, but still staying within the French cuisine.
If you like modern, then next time you’re a guest at someone’s home for dinner, be sure to pick up one of Dimitri and Keli’s intricate chocolate and sugar centerpieces. Believe me, it’ll be a bigger hit than just another bottle of wine. Choose from ornate geometric patterns, multi-colored carefully planned explosions of sugar, and tall floral-themed pieces.
Recently, Dimitri was one third of the Silver Medal Team at the 2003 National Pastry Championship (this competition and the Coupe du Monde in Lyon, France are the biggest of the international competitions) in Las Vegas, the same contest that was given extensive coverage in a picture filled article in Newsweek.
This is no ordinary cooking class. General admission to the two-day event begins at $100 and rises steeply from there.
Dimitri is the 2003 National Champion Silver Medal Winner. He was expected to be joined by 2002 World Champion Gold Medal Winner Laurent Branlard, Executive Pastry Chef at Walt Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin Resort in Orlando, and 2003 National Champion Silver Medal Winners Frederic Monti, Executive Pastry Chef for the Ritz-Carlton Beach Resort in Naples, Fla., for the opening July 29. These may not be household names for a city that popularizes restaurants owned by sports figures, but, believe me, this is the All Star Game of pastry chefs.
‘We take great pride in what we make and are proud to share it with Chicago,’ says Keli. ‘It has always been our dream to own a pastry shop. This allows us to do whatever we want to do, and not be limited by chef’s orders or menus.’
So, what should a new visitor try? ‘We suggest that you come in and eat with your eyes. Choose something that catches your eye and return for something different. You will not be disappointed and the French will finally have a taste from home. Bon appetit!’ Vanille Patisserie, 2229 N. Clybourn, also offers specialty products such as vanilla extracts, sugars and powders, and is open Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
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