The end of January saw the opening of a new patisserie in Byron Bay: Eclair at the Bay. The patisserie is the brainchild of pastry chef Pavel Stolarsky and his partner Mary Martin, a graphic designer.

Following a highly successful run as an online ordering business run out of a home kitchen, as well as a catering business, Pavel and Mary decided to open their own pastry shop.

The pair launched a crowdfunding campaign in September of last year to make their dream happen. They were able to raise $5,000 with the help of their very strong and committed customer base, and the rest of the money through personal and private investors who believed strongly in their dream, and began putting the shop together late last year.

The shop aims to focus on decadent creations in choux pastry. They specialise in, as the name suggests, eclairs, as well as profiteroles, choquettes, and the customer-favourite croquembouche. The menu was put together by Pavel, who learned his trade at well-known venues like Marcus by Marcus Wareing and Gordon Ramsay’s Maze.

“Eclair means ‘lightning’ in French. My idea is to light this town with a new concept of desserts made from choux,” Pavel said of the choice of business name.

“We’re aiming for the highest quality possible, with tradition and authenticity in mind, sourcing fresh ingredients and supporting local producers,” the brand wrote on social media.

“After several years of working for celebrity chefs and Michelin star restaurants around the world, [Pavel] decided to bring this knowledge to the bay and create something unique, elegant, and tasty,” the post continued.

Eclair at the Bay has been well visited since its opening, and customers are still able to place online orders with the brand and visit them at their various pop-ups and market stalls in the vicinity of Byron Bay.