As a child, Benjamin Chevré would bake with his grandma. He decided early on that the pastry world was his focus and his love for the kitchen led him to culinary school after which he decided to get out and gain experience in the world of hospitality. Chevré started to look for a more structured environment than a standard kitchen could offer, wanting to use different equipment and enhance his skills and set off travelling the world. He worked in many different countries, being exposed to various wild food and food cultures. The chef would spend every spare moment he could with a pastry chef learning new things about the pastry world.
Chevré met Matthieu Betron while working at Clooney, a three-hatted former fine dining restaurant in Auckland, during his time travelling New Zealand. The pair connected over a strong shared passion for pastries and desserts and decided to open a small business and hit the markets. The business was a success, selling out every market day and expanding into wholesale, supplying local cafes. Now, Little French have two cafes of their own and a wholesale kitchen in Eden Terrace.
Little French Café, Mount Albert offers classic French food with a twist, an à la carte breakfast & lunch menu and delicious cakes and pastries.
Little French Café’s most popular item is the classic lemon tart, followed by their macarons. The pastry business is known for its high quality and is popular at Christmas time for its special holiday desserts. Chevré most loves making mille-feuille, a popular, very flaky treat using whipped ganache, pastry cream and fruit gel - or caramel for a unique take. Using so few ingredients, the pastry is hard to make but a good one to enjoy as the flavour possibilities are infinite.
Chevré’s approach to baking at Little French Pastry and Café is to make food that is exciting yet straightforward. He likes for his customers to easily understand the offerings. When creating new desserts, he enjoys trying out new techniques but keeps the perfect balance between sweetness and acidity. To avoid a too-sweet feeling, the chef makes his products light. He has noticed current trends enhance foods' natural and classic elements and to make his classic pastries visually appealing, uses natural ingredients like fruit puree and honey.
Seeing a smile on the faces of customers as they enjoy the baked delights sparks joy in Chevré but his ultimate reward at Little French has been watching his employees grow.
“I love to see young people striving and finding a passion for food.”
Moving forward, Chevré and Betron would like to grow the wholesale side of Little French Pastry into hotels, cafés and restaurants. The business also caters to significant events with a frozen pastry range. The pair hope to become more visible in the New Zealand food industry, showcasing their passion for food and New Zealand ingredients.
Outside of his pastry chef life, Chevré delves into the food world by foraging and fishing, travelling New Zealand to surf and explore new food from different cultures. His advice to those who also share a pastry passion is that experience and perseverance are key.
“Surround yourself with talented and passionate people and chefs - you will strive.”
