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Bakes embarked on its culinary journey in 2015, initially known as Wbakes or W Bakes, alluding to 'Work Bakes.' This initial name derived its essence from Laure Chevallier’s other projects at the time, WORK Saigon & WORK Cafe. However, as the years folded, it succinctly rebranded itself to simply 'Bakes,' a name that has been synonymous with pastry pleasure to this day.
Bakes serves as an online patisserie, living by the principle that enjoying pastry should be a feast for all the senses, much like experiencing love. Bakes extends an invitation to a sensory celebration where pastries are revered like the French, or to be more precise, like the Parisians. Their creations are accessible at WORK Café inside Nest and WORK Saigon or can be delivered to your doorsteps through their website, and they offer custom products tailored for restaurants and coffee shops.
The co-creators of Bakes, Lien, the Head Chef Patissiere, and Laure Chevallier, the founder, share an unwavering passion for pastries. Laure yearns for the quintessential French patisseries and the ambient fragrance of bakeries in the Parisian streets on serene Sunday mornings, while Lien finds joy in concocting delightful recipes with respect to the traditional techniques instilled by her French mentor from Lenôtre.
Their love for pastries and the 'joie de vivre' they wish to share with the Saigonese was the catalyst that led to over six months of meticulous designing of their inaugural collection of pastries. They emphasize textural contrasts and tantalizing tastes—visualize indulging in a soft cheesecake to discover a crunchy chocolate surprise or savoring a sweet pastry fused with sea-salt or tangy, salty popcorn.
For Laure, pastries are woven into her fondest memories, intertwined with the moments she shared with loved ones. From familial Sunday afternoons savoring a spread of fraisier, éclair, bavarois to sharing similar moments with roommates and her boyfriend, every moment was a good time to relish a pastry, unmarred by guilt. These shared experiences, combined with her 'joie de vivre' and an undying love for pastries, inspired Laure to launch an e-shop for pastries, hoping to extend this love and joy to others.
"My best memories involve pastries and the people I shared them with. This is one of the main reasons why I decided to open an e-shop for pastries—to share my love for pastries and 'joie de vivre.'" - Laure Chevallier, Co-founder of WORK Saigon & WORK Cafe.
In today’s culinary landscape, Bakes stands as a testament to the fusion of passion, tradition, and innovation, transforming a simple idea into a culinary haven for pastry aficionados. Bakes continues to uphold its mission, ensuring that every creation is not just a gastronomical delight but also a sensory experience, a slice of ‘joie de vivre’ served with unwavering love and meticulousness.