- By Charlotte Brown
- June 18, 2024
MEILLEUR OUVRIER DE FRANCE BOULANGER 2007 AND SENIOR LECTURER AT THE PRESTIGIOUS ÉCOLE HÔTELIÈRE DE LAUSANNE, THOMAS MARIE HAS PUBLISHED SEVERAL RECIPE BOOKS OF REFERENCE FOR PROFESSIONALS AND KNOWLEDGEABLE AMATEURS ALIKE. IN 2018, HE ALSO SET UP BREAD STORE, A BAKERY CHAIN OFFERING ARTISANAL PRODUCTS IN LAUSANNE AND VEVEY.
Text by Gilbert Pytel, photographs by Jérôme Lanier (Featured in the June 2024 Issue of Pastry1 Magazine)
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
honouring a newsworthy chef
We really started hearing about you in 2007, when you were awarded the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France at the age of 26... How did you react to this newfound fame?
Thomas Marie: ‘First of all, it's worth remembering that media coverage via social networks was virtually non-existent at the time compared with today. This title has brought me a slow and gradual rise to fame, which has enabled me to handle these interactions without any particular stress. Within the profession, people were already saying good things about my work as an instructor at the Institut National de la Boulangerie Pâtisserie (I.N.B.P.). The institute has regularly featured me in its materials for bakers.’
The first print run of the "Grand Livre de la Boulangerie" sold out in two days
You’ve had several televised appearances?
TM: ‘In 2017, for the "Grand Livre de la Boulangerie", I was invited to appear on France 2's 1pm news and then on set during a program hosted par Stéphane Bern. I was able to broaden my view of baking. Besides this, I also contributed to several regional news programs in Normandy and New Caledonia. I'm not necessarily looking to be featured on TV or radio, but when someone reaches out to me, I'm happy to go for the experience.’
Did your position as senior lecturer at the École Hôtelière de Lausanne give you a certain reputation within the industry?
TM: ‘Very little. As a management school, practical arts are only a small part of this institution. The school has always allowed me to develop personally and host training courses abroad or publish various works.’
You then had great success with three books that quickly became reference works: the "Grand livre de la boulangerie", the "Grand livre de la viennoiserie" and the "Grand livre du snacking"?
TM: ‘First of all, I'd like to make it clear that I had the idea for this trilogy of books right from the start. I put the first book together par hand, which I offered to a number of publishers, and the only one who had faith in me was Alain Ducasse. The first print run of the "Grand Livre de la Boulangerie" sold out in just two days. Reprint after reprint, we managed to sell 20,000 copies in France, which is exceptional for a book intended primarily for bakery professionals. Three years later, I published the "Grand Livre de la Viennoiserie", which sold as well as its predecessor. This has also been made available in different versions abroad: Russia, China, Korea, Spain and Hungary.’
I have had a very large majority of positive feedback from professionals
What was the main feedback you received?
TM: ‘A very large majority of positive feedback from professionals. I've also received feedback from our audience of bread enthusiasts. It has to be said that I’ve made it a point of honour to offer recipes that have been 100% tried- and-tested throughout my various training courses.’
In 2018, you set up the Bread Store chain in Switzerland in partnership with Laurent Buri, did you get much local press about these openings?
TM: ’I teamed up with a former student of the École Hôtelière de Lausanne. We both work together really well: he takes care of administration and management and I'm in charge of production. The Swiss media were very interested in the launch of this brand, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France who had set up shop in their country was a hot topic. As a Frenchman, I had to be very careful about what I said, because journalists here like to fuel controversy with phrases taken out of context.’
You're not very active when it comes to social networks...
TM: ’It's true that I don't post much. I don’t really have the time and I’m not part of this new generation who are comfortable with social networks. They’re the last thing on my to do list and there are only 24 hours in a day... Besides, I'd much rather sell 60,000 books and have 10,000 followers on Instagram than the other way around.’
I'm not part of this new generation, who are comfortable with social networks
What are your upcoming projects?
TM: ’We're looking for a new location to consolidate all our production and we intend to open four more shops this year.’
