- Lenôtre, a family story
Versailles, famous for his castle, is our birth place
The bakery is not my first profession. It was my dad’s and his brother’s, the famous french pastry chef: Gaston Lenôtre.
If you search for it on Google, you will read that he influenced and modernized the french pastry art since the 1950’s.He was first to disclose the french pastry abroad, opening stores overseas and teaching professionals from all over the world in his school near Paris.
Gaston took his whole family with him on this adventure. I will share with you later on the blog about this.The work of passionnate people
Born in the midst of this family “saga”, I have always seen what the profession requires: the precision of the gesture, the quality of the ingredients, the service to customers, the transmission…
With my curiosity as a child, I saw, felt, heard, touched and tasted very early the wonders of nature and the work of passionate people…
In the field and farm of my maternel grand-parents, in my uncle’s hunting parties, in my mom’s stores or accompanying my dad to big events.This sensory astonishment never left me and I still live it by both practicing the pastry art and discovering this fabulous country what is Mexico.
I would like to share this double experience with you here, through this blog.
Estelle Lenôtre
pastry chef and driving force
My name is Estelle Lenôtre. I live in North-Western Mexico, precisely in Baja California Sur, a beautiful desert Peninsula where I work as a pastry chef. With Florent, my partner, we set up our activity « Estelle & Florent, french pastry » in 2015.
Florent Varlet
the talented salesman
My name is Florent Varlet. I live in Baja since the end of 2015. If I help Estelle in the kitchen, I’m especially THE seller. Big fan and happy gourmand, it is a real pride for me to introduce our clients to our typical french pastries, to talk with them… and to see them come back.
Women’s Day… every day at La Bonhomie
and Estelle&Florent
In the kitchen or at Plaza Amigos, the team is very feminine. In the kitchen, three girls make the sweet and savory pastries every day. Pilar Dominguez, known as “Pili” in Todos Santos, has been working her whole life in kitchens, in restaurants or at the school cooperative where they were feeding up to 400 kids daily. Born and raised in Todos Santos, the 47-years-old has 4 children, 3 grand-children and “a forth one on the way”.
Melina Altamirano, 26 years old, came all the way from Mexico City and the Centro Culinario Ambrosia to master the art of French pastry with Estelle Lenotre, the pastry chef. “Passionate” about it since 8 or 9 years old, as she said, her dream is to “go to France and learn some more”.
Same taste for learning with Petronila Santiago. At 26, the native of the State of Vera Cruz has already a pretty extensive experience of cooking, with Argentinian food, Sushi in a grand hotel in Cabo and French cuisine. Her favorite style? Pastry, of course. “For the more quiet pace, without the service rush and the stress that goes with it”, explains the young woman, with a big smile on her face. It’s that the mood is both focused and light in the pastry kitchen. You can often hear some laughters flying through the windows.
At Plaza Amigos, in Todos Santos, Alicia Rodriguez and Agustina Mazzon complete the feminine part of the team. They will receive you for a crepe, a pastry or a burger. And if you like to laugh as well, ask Agustina: she always has something fun to say. The – almost – 34-years old Argentinian, born and raised in Rosario, had already “many lives”. She lived in Brasil and now In Mexico before – one day – to move to Greece where she dreams of opening a animal shelter. “Oh, wait! I’m already doing it, with my 8 dogs at home”, she adds jokingly.
Last word – the feminist one’s – with Ali, 24, from Todos Santos. For her, working as a woman, it is “being independent, being able to have a good life and provide for my 6 years-old daughter, Jossy Marali. She is my everything!”