Dominique Ansel, the famed French chef and creator of the wildly popular Cronut – a donut and croissant hybrid – has turned away from sweet pastries to launch a brand new bistro-bakery in Covent Garden.
Award-winning pastry chef, Ansel’s new venture is located on Floral Street in the West End, an appropriate setting given the nature aspect of the treetop canopy themed bistro.
The casual eatery is set in a treehouse with patrons dining amongst a canopy setting, and while his legendary Cronut is not on the menu, diners can still expect to see his world-famous pastry techniques employed throughout the three-course menu. The sit-down bistro takes on a much more savoury tone, although there is still a bakery downstairs.
Ansel may be turning his back on the dessert that made him so well-known, but he will still be staying true to his pastry-chef roots. Ansel will continue to experiment with puff pastry, but this time in the form of vol-au-vents, pithiviers, savoury pies and more. There are also freshly made breads and handmade pastas such as caramelle and gnocchi on offer too.
Ansel has received many accolades throughout his illustrious career as a prominent pâtissier, and he is ready to show off his skills in a new light. Many had assumed that the chef would be opening another bakery here in Covent Garden, but he is set to break even more culinary barriers as he ventures into savoury pastry territory.
Speaking about his new project to the Evening Standard, Ansel said, “I wanted to create something entirely new, something that celebrates the fundamental recipes and techniques that pastry chefs do best, but on a more savoury level.” Dominique Ansel’s creativity knows no bounds as he takes up residence in the treetops to pull off an exciting three-course menu for West End punters.