Louis French Patisserie creates happiness along with his each mouthful

Hailing from Calais in France, esteemed pastry chef Louis Sergeant has gained a big following within the Wellington area for his macaroons, growing 45 decadent flavours.

After humble beginnings at market stalls across the metropolis, Louis has moved north, opening a meals truck in Porirua and two shops in Kāpiti.

Settling into life on the coast, Louis now lives across the nook from the manufacturing unit store on Rimu Rd the place he produces edible artworks utilizing conventional French strategies and French-imported elements, infusing happiness into every deal with.

“I all the time prefer it while you give a pleasant patisserie cake to somebody, you get a smile in return – you deliver happiness into the world,” Louis stated.

Baking because the age of 16, Louis labored in high institutions round Europe, from France to Switzerland and Germany earlier than coming to New Zealand 14 years in the past.

“I began cooking with my mum and my grandad as a result of in France it is not good to ask company in with out being hospitable.

“After we invite company over we all the time attempt to make one thing lovely – starters, fundamental and dessert.”

Whereas 14 years in New Zealand has completed little to minimize his sturdy French accent, Louis has turn into certainly one of New Zealand’s most famous pastry cooks after stints at Wellington’s Hippopotamus Restaurant and operating his personal self-titled institutions.

Regardless of creating scrumptious treats which have been devoured enthusiastically by clients, when Louis and his enterprise accomplice tried to develop the enterprise they have been hit by earthquakes, and cash points pressured them to shut the shop.

Louis needed to inform 20 workers that they have been shutting up store, with solely 4 days’ discover.

Beginning once more below the identify Croissants & Co, Louis is as soon as once more operating a French-inspired patisserie bringing genuine flavours, not only a French flag.

“In French patisseries, it is like style, we like to mix colors and flavours to provide the entire package deal – with a pleasant field and a pleasant cake inside.”

Louis stated it is about the entire expertise, identical to while you buy groceries.

“Once I go abroad I do a variety of buying and it is all the time an excellent feeling while you come away with good baggage full of garments, treating your self. That is what French patisserie is about – you get a pleasant cake in a pleasant field and also you’re bringing a bit of little bit of happiness into this world.”

When requested what his favorite patisserie merchandise was, Louis stated it is too laborious to decide on.

“Once you’re a foodie it’s totally laborious to say what your favorite dish is, it is like selecting your favorite film. I must say it is most likely macaroons as a result of there are such a lot of completely different flavours and colors.”

Macaroons are the proper deal with as a result of not solely are there many various flavours to select from, they’re sufficiently small to not really feel too responsible consuming them. With 45 completely different flavours to select from, Louis rotates the flavours relying on demand.

“In the meanwhile we provide 12 flavours however in my guide, we’ve got round 45 completely different flavours.”

At present engaged on mojito and champagne flavours, Louis hopes to supply a summer season field stuffed with cocktail flavours.

“I feel this will probably be highly regarded, particularly for Christmas items.”

Whereas the cocktail field is certain to be a hit, he stated there are many flavours that have not labored and he’s all the time understanding how one can maintain genuine French flavours whereas adapting to the New Zealand palate.

“I all the time attempt to deliver the standard and flavours of France as an alternative of simply placing a French flag on the constructing and saying ‘hey we’re French’,” Louis stated.

“However you do must adapt to the palate of every nation. For instance, right here in New Zealand, you could have candy butter rooster – in India, it is not candy. We additionally must maintain evolving as your palate continually modifications over time.”

Making patisserie objects is an extended, extra technical course of than regular baking. The fragile truffles are baked, earlier than being positioned in a blast chiller and snap-frozen with a view to be glazed.

“We take them from 10 levels to minus 40 levels in eight minutes. This implies there isn’t any water, no germs.

“When the cake may be very chilly we pour the glaze which provides you a pleasant gloss on high. Every day we get them out, glaze them and adorn them.”

Lots of the truffles are impressed by style, such because the comfortable pink three-tiered Marie Antoinette cake, pictured, which is a long-time favorite.

The patisserie objects are additionally made domestically after beforehand being made at a business kitchen in Shelly Bay on the Miramar Peninsula of Wellington.

After driving from Shelly Bay as much as Raumati on daily basis, Louis acquired a business kitchen on Rimu Rd a 12 months in the past, making the enterprise a very native operation.

All patisserie objects at the moment are made onsite and shared between the 2 Kāpiti websites, the Porirua meals truck and market stalls and can be found through residence supply.

This story was first printed within the Celebrating Kāpiti 2022 spring/summer season journal.