In this new serie of articles, I will talk about talented French bakers. Those who have marked me by their personality, their mindset and/or their talent. Welcome to APOTHEROES !
For this first Apotheroes article, let's start with my secret, one of my favourite references in baking : Claire Damon
HER STORY
Born in Auvergne, Claire was immersed in a simple environment, in direct contact with nature. Accustomed to farm products, Claire Damon has been sensitized to fresh produce and growing conditions since her early childhood. Her great-grandmother frequently came back from the vegetable garden with her baskets filled with fruits and vegetables to share and eat a good meal around large tables. Her desire to focus on cooking probably started from that point.
Mentor by Pierre Hermé, she learned to have a different approach to traditional pastry cooking. Her sensitivity has become the guideline for creating her cakes. Her inner journey begins at this precise moment and will lead her to her own creations. She worked intesively in the most beautiful houses in Paris (La Durée, Bristol and the Plaza Athénée), and she has been running her own Des Gâteaux et du Pain bakery since 2006.
WORK & INSPIRATION
90% of its pastries are made with fresh fruit, which is never quite the same.
According to her, fruits are exciting raw materials, which she distill each element with great precision.
The work of plants, of living things , allows her to harmonize the relationship she has with time.That’s sounds very vague but you will understand as you still read. By working directly with its producers (mainly French producers), she remains attentive to the evolution of their work.
Whether you are in a hurry or solicited by the media, nature is king, no matter what. Claire Damon is a master in the art of waiting for the perfect moment to use fruits.
Selecting products accurately is essential (Ardèche chestnuts, Corsican citrates, Tahiti vanilla...). This has an impact on margins, but this choice gives meaning to her business.
"Making a quality pastry is also about thinking about the planet."
Why not having your own vegetable garden? The fruit is very dependent of the soil. Culture conditions are not the same and have a strong impact on the result of the fruit.
Today, she cultivates her passion for pastry through: nature, perfumes, elaboration, construction, creation.
"We have developed an independent bakery, which I am proud of."
Next step and her ambition?
Maybe open a workshop in the province to grow and get closer to their producers.
WHY DO I RESPECT HER ?
- She assumes her rebellious temperament, practicing her profession as she wishes, with rigor and determination.
- She respects the product. It is important to understand how they are cultivated. That's why she takes her teams at least once a year to meet producers. She does not support average products but prefers to listen to nature and work on products at their optimal ripening point.
- The importance of the pastry chef-producer relationship: she is used to order directly with producers and has a deep respect for their work. Discussing with them is essential. The aim is to understand the decisive factors for a quality product.
- Willingness to transmit values: determined to carry values, Claire Damon doesn’t hesitate to make choices for her pastries. She will select the high quality butter from Ferme du Ponclet, rather than participate in junk food. This choice will have a real impact on the price of her pastries, but believes that the subject is too important to miss.According to her, what is essential is to know what the pastries are made of.
"Of course we are a business, but what do I want to find on my plate, to leave to future generations?"
- This great pastry chef keeps being discreet. Sparsely mediatized, Claire Damon remains the same, humble despite the fact that she was the only woman to win the 2018 Relais Desserts Awards of Excellence, and was elected Best Bakery Chef in 2018.
IN A NUTSHELL
What I retain from this portrait is a baker who learned and expanded her way of making cakes and pastries. She learned from the best before launching out and expressing her art. Learn and enrich yourself from the best to build the best.
Today, her pastry is simply the reflection of her personality, her tastes and her relation with products. Let your imagination and personality speak for themselves, the goal is to find your personality in what you are doing.
Her sensitivity for the best products strengthens his personality and the quality of her work. An excellent cake/pastry can only result from excellent products.
Hope you learn something new about this woman,
Lea from The Paris-Best
Comentarios