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The Gryphon team is excited to be moving our corporate office to Kerrisdale while our Dunbar location undergoes renovation. The Kerrisdale neighborhood is known for its rich historical background, and of course, lined with a diverse lineup of eateries and cafes. What we love most about the neighborhood is how it exemplifies the art of living, one of our core brand philosophies at Gryphon Development.
Whether it’s crafting the perfect latte, designing artisanal pastries, or spending hours arranging a floral bouquet, the shops and shop owners in the Kerrisdale community embody the art of living in every detail. This past weekend, we sat down with Franck Point of Kerrisdale’s Faubourg Bakery to discover their secret to handcrafting one of the city’s favourite croissants.
Patrons lining up for orders in Faubourg Bakery
Last year alone, Faubourg sold an astounding 280,000 croissants. Franck shares that this was a pleasant surprise for him when he opened his first location in Kerrisdale in 2010 (the brand has since expanded to three locations). He shares that in France, having a croissant is such a common ritual that almost everyone would enjoy a croissant while picking up the morning paper.
The perfect morning indulgence
Selection of fresh baked goods at Faubourg Bakery
In Vancouver, he realized that the community sees croissants as a delicate pastry to be enjoyed at any given time of the day. This is why Faubourg bakes fresh croissants every two hours, and not just a single batch at the beginning of the day. You could come in at 2pm and you would still be getting a croissant fresh out of the oven.
Fresh crepe made-to-order
Delicate individual dessert selections
Wonderful brunch service in the Weekend
So we asked Franck, what are the three keys to a great croissant?
- High-quality Ingredients: Franck says that they use the highest quality European-style butter, with the highest fat content, to ensure that the aromas are sealed into the croissant as it is baked. The croissants have been made with the same (amazing) recipe since day one by hand. Just the croissant production alone requires a team of 6!
- Precise Timing: The yeast for the croissant needs to have enough time to consume sugar, produce the gas, and dig up the aroma prior to being incorporated in the dough. This is what creates to rising, or as Franck refers to it, the ‘proofing’ of the croissant. The process of making a batch of croissants takes three hours from fresh to getting into the oven. Investing so much time in one batch is a luxury, as Franck shares that on his recent trip to Paris, he discovered that many places are incentivized to push out as many croissants as they can, sacrificing on the ‘time’ element to produce as many croissants at the expense of taste.
- Top Tier Equipment: The equipment is top-tier and Faubourg’s croissants are baked on site, ensuring fresh quality throughout the day. As mentioned, the croissants are fresh every two hours, with fresh batches throughout the day to give their customers the very best and most authentic aromas.
Freshly made croissants ready to go into the oven (picture credit: @faubourgbakery)
A classy, French-inspired dining atmosphere
It’s no wonder that Faubourg is a beloved mainstay in the Kerrisdale neighbourhood, with their commitment to delivering an authentic, French bakery and bistro experience (yes, they also serve brunch!)
Delicate desserts are all made in-house at Faubourg Bakery
If you are ever in the Kerrisdale neighborhood, we won’t judge if you end up leaving with a dozen freshly baked croissants and a box of macarons. Over the next several weeks we will be sharing our discoveries in the various shops in our neighbourhood and their unique way of embodying the art of living. Follow our social feed to join us on our journey to discover all that the Vancouver Westside has to offer!
We want to thank Franck Point and the Faubourg Kerrisdale team for sharing their passion with us! We admire their persistence in serving consistent, high-quality patisseries and desserts in Kerrisdale. To learn more about Faubourg, visit here.
