When did you realize or what prompted you to decide to study culinary arts and become a Pastry Chef?

Since a very young age, cooking and baking was always a strong part of my cultural upbringing. Baking was not my first choice for a career. I studied piano my entire childhood and even went on to start my studies in university to become a high school band teacher. Unfortunately, a condition in my wrist, due to repetitive motion, suddenly forced me to take a year off my university studies. Not being able to stop and relax, I decided to pursue my second passion and take a pastry class at a local college.  

What made you decide to study at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa?

Having had such an amazing experience with the class I had taken at Louis Riel Arts and Technology Centre in Winnipeg, I became torn about the fact that I was supposed to go back to my university studies. I let my heart guide me and ended up applying to Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa, feeling confident that this was going to be the right path to further my education in pastry.

What was one of the most important things you learned while studying and how has this made a difference to you as a Chef?

During my studies at Le Cordon Bleu, I learned the structure and organization it requires to be a chef. I found structure in my passion, and I felt like I could apply my knowledge anywhere I went.

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Stay healthy, stay strong, for this will undoubtedly be one of the biggest physical and mental challenges you will face. But you will get through it with your skill, and that will make you one of the best chefs in the industry!

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Are there any chefs or influencers that have inspired you along the way, and why?

My biggest influencer was and still is today, Chef Helmut Mathae from the course I took in Winnipeg. He really showed me a true passion for the craft and made me fall in love with it even more. It is, thanks to him that I'm still loving what I do today.

What did you do after you graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa?

After having graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa, I moved back to my home town where I quickly found employment with the Frenchway Cafe. From there, I applied to work for Fairmont Hotels, where they sent me to work at the beautiful Chateau Lac Louise in Alberta. Jumping from Alberta to Montréal, I then had the chance to work for bakeries, restaurants and hotels, before moving back to Winnipeg in 2013.

What have been some of your career highlights to date?

The highlight of my career to date is being part of the opening team for Daniel Boulud’s then new restaurant, inside of the Ritz Carleton in Montreal. The experience was a real test of endurance, and pushed my boundaries as a professional Chef, for which I am still grateful for today.

You opened La Belle Baguette from a place of passion, how has it been running your own bakery in the heart of Winnipeg’s French Quarter?

Opening La Belle Baguette, in Winnipeg’s French Quarter (St. Boniface) was a perfect match! Having grown up in St. Boniface I knew the neighbors, the community and had a good sense of how I could better serve them through my products.

Where do you get your inspiration from to create all your beautiful pastries?

Our pastries are a real marriage between my grandmothers traditional Franco-Manitoban recipes, and the French techniques and recipes which I learned while attending Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa. The result is a truly beautiful product which relates to my clientele and myself very well.

What is your favorite pastry to make?

Right now, I am experimenting a lot with a rich yeast dough and creating a wide variety of products for my customers to enjoy. For Example, I recently made a white chocolate mocha pinwheels and apple crumble Danishes.

What does 2018 look like for you? Any exciting projects in the works?

We are currently putting together the best team we have had since opening. With a head baker and a corporate pastry chef by my side, I am very excited to see how our bakery will evolve over the next year!

Any pieces of advice that you would like to pass on to someone following in your pastry chef/entrepreneurial footsteps?

Stay healthy, stay strong, for this will undoubtedly be one of the biggest physical and mental challenges you will face. But you will get through it with your skill, and that will make you one of the best chefs in the industry!