A JERSEY-BORN chocolate chef and a French pastry chef have opened the doors of Ganache, their new artisan patisserie and chocolaterie based at Castle Quay.
Glenn Noel and Constance Claperon – who met while working in Paris in 2017 – moved to the Island last June ‘to be closer to family’ and to fulfil their ‘long-term goal’ of opening their own shop.
The couple have plenty of experience in the craft of sweet treats, honed by time in the Middle East, Africa, India and France.
Mr Noel boasts six years working for French premium chocolate manufacturer Valrhona, during which he also worked for the company’s École du Grand Chocolat, a school for professional chefs with a focus on chocolate-based dishes and pastries.
Miss Claperon, meanwhile, has worked as a pâtissière as well as in food distribution, and is keen to bring the ‘French-style’ patisserie shop to Jersey.
Despite knowing they wanted to launch their new business as soon as they moved to the Island, the couple initially struggled to find a suitable premises.
‘We had a few options but they just didn’t seem quite right,’ explained Mr Noel.
As the initial plan was to serve coffee alongside pastries and chocolates, Miss Claperon got a job at Cooper’s coffee shop to learn how to become a barista.
After telling colleagues of her hopes to open a patisserie and chocolaterie, David Warr, the managing director of Cooper & Co and the Island’s Housing Minister, offered the back of the Cooper’s Castle Quay store as a possible location for the new business.
Mr Noel and Miss Claperon admitted that it ‘took some imagination’ to work out how the space, which was formerly ‘just extra seating’ at the back of the coffee shop, could work as an artisan patisserie and chocolaterie.
However, they have now ‘completely transformed the space’ into a ‘French-style’ shop with an ‘open kitchen’.
‘We are really passionate about good ingredients which come from ethical and traceable sources,’ explained Mr Noel. ‘We don’t want to compromise on quality.’
Miss Claperon added that the packaging used in Ganache was mostly recyclable and compostable. The duo also say their products have a longer shelf-life ‘to reduce wastage’.
‘Our generation cares about doing something different,’ she said. ‘We can’t just carry on as generations before have.’
Ganache will offer a pastry range and a chocolate range including macarons, marble cake and bon-bons. The shop’s snacking range will feature the pair’s ‘own version of a Snickers bar’ and a unique take on a cereal bar.
The shop currently offers a few vegan options – made with almond powder to create ‘vegan milkiness’, Mr Noel explains – but the couple are looking to expand their range to offer more options for people with dietary requirements, such as gluten-free, to ensure that they can appeal to everyone.
The couple have made the effort to use local dairy and honey in their products, something which they admitted could ‘push prices up’, but underlined their focus on high-quality ingredients.
‘I always compare it to the price of beer,’ said Mr Noel. ‘People are willing to spend a fiver on a pint but won’t spend the same amount on a product with really high-quality ingredients.’
Speaking ahead of the opening, the pair said they were feeling ‘excited’ and were looking forward to having ‘direct contact’ with customers.
Ganache is open from 8.30am to 4pm Tuesday to Friday and from 9am to 4pm on Saturdays.
