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The Cronut king has landed in the UK, just in time for Brexit. Maybe sweet, beautiful pastries will be enough to hold Great Britain together? Either way, pastry chef Dominique Ansel is gearing up to open his first bakery in London early this fall 2016.
The cake shop is currently being built out in the West London neighborhood of Belgravia, near Victoria. Cronuts will be served here, of course, but there will also be a whole new menu of pastries specific to this location and inspired by "the blend of cultures and the spirit of the city," says Ansel. The chef is especially excited to have access to ingredients from throughout Europe for the first time since he left France for the U.S. Also on offer at the new London location: the Kouign Amann DKA, the Cookie Shot, and Frozen S'mores.
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Inside Dominique Ansel London
Last summer Ansel opened his first bakery outside of the U.S. in Japan. As with that location, Dominique Ansel London is larger than the chef's original NYC location: It's two stories, with the bakery and seating on the first floor and the pastry kitchen on the second. An outdoor courtyard will be decorated with "a vertical garden canopied by fresh flowers." Similar to the layout of Dominique Ansel Kitchen in NYC's West Village, Dominique Ansel London will have an open kitchen. The design was inspired by European train stations (note the industrial glass arch above the registers) and the English countryside (see the graphical elements in the seating area).
"Over the years, we've had guests who've met each other and become friends while waiting together and dining with us," Ansel says in a release, "When they reach the register, that's when they say their goodbyes and well wishes to stay in touch with one another, and that moment reminded us of a train station where so many people are greeting or saying bye to friends and loved ones."
So what London-specific creations might Ansel have up his sleeves for his first bakery in Europe? Summer puddings, trifles, shortcakes, scones, steamed puddings, treacle tarts, and tea time pastries sound ripe for Ansel-style reinvention. Only one question remains: Will Mary Berry approve?
