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Gontran Cherrier: Prepare to be wooed

Gontran Cherrier: Prepare to be wooed

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Rock star baker Gontran Cherrier has set up shop in Collingwood, and it has carb lovers weak at the knees.

A twist on Marie Antoinetteโ€™s famous French phrase is emblazoned across the wall of Gontran Cherrierโ€™s first Australian boulangerie: โ€œlet them eat croissantsโ€. And flaky, buttery croissants they shall get.

Thereโ€™s nothing pedestrian about Gontran Cherrier, which is both the name of the Parisian celebrity baker and his burgeoning global brand. This is a place where bread rolls are infused with curry and paprika, where buns are dyed with squid ink, and where croquet monsieurs are served dripping with Gruyรจre bรฉchamel. Itโ€™s a little bit fancy, and a whole lotta tasty.

If Gontranโ€™s charming looks donโ€™t get you, his bread will. Crusty on the outside, but with a chewy, resistant interior, his baguettes are made the Parisian way with Foricher flour and Lescure butter.

A national icon in France and known throughout the world for his work at three-Michelin-starred restaurant l’Arpรจge in Paris, Gontran enjoys celebrity status wherever he goes. Melbourne has proven to be no different, with foodies clamouring to the opening of his Collingwood store โ€“ his 28th worldwide.

French by blood, but intrepid in spirit, Gontranโ€™s boulangeries are an eclectic fusion of cultures. He has travelled the world, bringing โ€˜the French touchโ€™ to kitchens and bakeries throughout Europe, North Africa and Asia. In turn, heโ€™s stashed away an enviable repertoire of ingredients and techniques, marrying them with his own classical recipes.

Gontranโ€™s particularly fond of Japanese flavours โ€“ think rye paired with miso, kimchi quiche and yuzu cheesecakes. The rest of the Asia-Pacific gets a nod as well, with Korea and Taiwan among his favourite destinations.

โ€œAs a baker and a chef, I think travelling is very important,โ€ he says.

โ€œI like to explore the world, looking for new flavours and new products to give to my customers. Diversity is something I value most.

โ€œAsia has a very wide choice of noble raw materials that can easily be used in breads or pastries. For the European pallet, those flavours are pretty exotic and it makes for a special product.โ€

Gontran is the protรฉgรฉ of four generations of baking purists. But, as you may have picked by now, he isnโ€™t afraid to break with tradition.

โ€œJust because a bakery follows the French way doesnโ€™t mean it has to do the same thing French bakeries have done for centuries,โ€ he says.

โ€œYou can pick and choose the best pieces from every country that inspires you. We live in a truly global community and, among other benefits, it has done wonders for the international food scene.โ€

Down under, heโ€™s also cherry picked some of the most iconic Australian flavours and native ingredients, such as pepper leaves, lemon myrtle and, of course, Vegemite.

โ€œThere is crazy food here in Australia,โ€ he says, laughing.

โ€œMelbournians have a great curiosity about different types of food and Collingwood in particular is a place full of people with open minds. There are already lots of really good bakeries here, but I hope I can bring something new and different.โ€

By nature, Melbourne food culture is also very European, which makes Collingwood a logical setting for Gontranโ€™s flagship boulangerie-cafรฉ. While his other businesses fuse bakeries with restaurants, the Collingwood business celebrates casual dining throughout the day.


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