Alberni Street atelier will offer a window into the art of fine chocolate and pastry
Chocolatier-Pâtissier Thierry Busset is preparing to open his atelier in partnership with the Top Table Group later this year.
Under a bright awning that recalls the storefront pâtisseries of his native France–and simply reading thierry–the 220 square metre space will be dedicated to the creation of classic chocolates, pastries, cakes, and a variety of that Parisian icon: the macaron.
With the lease just signed and plans advancing rapidly for an Autumn 2010 opening, thierry will be located in Vancouver’s downtown core.
“The shop will realize a longtime dream of mine,” Busset says. “Everything will be made on the premises and we will work in the style of the atelier, with our work space open to the retail area.”
Marc Bricault, who has worked with Top Table on projects at CinCin and Araxi, and who designed the wine room at Blue Water Cafe, will be designing the space featuring clean, modern lines, and with both indoor and outdoor seating.
All items will be hand-crafted daily using only premium ingredients: fresh seasonal fruits, artisanal dairy products, maple syrup, and the finest chocolates.
Busset learned his craft at the hands of the masters, including notable chocolatier Bernard Sicard in Auvergne, and later at Pilati Patisserie in the Loire Valley. He was pastry chef at two three Michelin-starred restaurants in London: Le Gavroche (Albert Roux and Michel Roux Jr.) and Marco Pierre White. Recently, his former colleague, chef Gordon Ramsay called Busset ‘one of the finest pastry chefs in the world’.
Upon moving to Vancouver, Busset opened as pastry chef at West, and then headed the pastry program at CinCin, where his breads, desserts and chocolates, according to Vancouver magazine, saw him ‘widely regarded as one of North America’s finest pastry chefs’.
“This is a wonderful progression for Thierry and, I think, for Vancouver,” said Top Table Proprietor, Jack Evrensel. “I’m thrilled that we were able to find such an accessible space, so now we can share his talent with everyone.”
One of the most highly respected hospitality groups in Canada, Top Table encompasses four of the leading restaurants in Vancouver and Whistler: Araxi, CinCin, Blue Water Cafe and West, and is set to open the highly anticipated atelier “thierry”, featuring hand-crafted chocolates and pastries. Continuing to evolve in the pursuit of excellence, each venue has received significant critical acclaim, both locally and internationally.
