The freshest French pastries will soon be baked before customers’ eyes at Melbourne’s oldest permanent market, South Melbourne Market, with the much-anticipated opening of Agathé Pâtisserie’s super stall on July 31.
The Paris-inspired bakery has developed a cult following since it started supplying cafes in Melbourne’s inner south- east, and serving up at Prahran Market, last year. And now, founder and head pastry chef Agathe Kerr, will unveil the secrets of her success by baking everything fresh from a pastry kitchen exposed behind the Market counter.
“In France, pastries are always fresh because they are baked throughout the day, and we wanted Melburnians to have that experience, too,” says Agathe, a Paris-born-and-raised mum of three. “Our customers will be able to see us preparing the pastries, baking them and adding the finishing touches.”
Agathé Pâtisserie will serve a large, and continuously changing, range of authentic French pastries, cakes and savouries – with a focus on innovation. Infused croissants (Pandan, Matcha, Café au lait), along with the “cruffin” (Salted caramel, Nutella, Peanut caramel), will be among the more unusual offerings.
“A cruffin is a croissant baked in a muffin pan, filled with a flavoured custard,” Agathe explains. “But what makes ours different is that we fill ours on demand, in front of the customer, or ‘à la minute’ as it is known in France.”
In 2010, while living in Paris with her Australian-born husband, Warren, and their family, Agathe took parental leave to begin the first of a series of baking and pastry courses. They culminated in a professional pastry chef qualification at the prestigious Ecole de Boulangerie et Patisserie de Paris.
Agathe, an excellent student who graduated from a top-five French business school, says the “chemistry of baking was a revelation and I loved seeing the transformation from the raw product to the final product.”
Agathe tested the popularity of her baking at her daughter’s Melbourne school in late 2013, serving up croissants and pains au chocolat at the Christmas market. Quickly selling out, Agathe summoned the courage to follow her dream of setting up her own patisserie and croissanterie, leaving behind her career as a business consultant.
Agathé Pâtisserie will be housed in two stalls at South Melbourne Market, which is open every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Viennoiseries, such as croissants and crème brulee and Danishes will cost $5-$7. Patisseries, including millefeuille and peanut-salted caramel Paris-Brest chou, will be $6-$9. Savouries, such as brie and sour cherry croissants, will be available for between $6-$9.
Agathé Pâtisserie is located at Stalls 63 and 64, South Melbourne Market, corner of Coventry and Cecil Streets, South Melbourne.
For information visit www.southmelbournemarket.com.au or www.agathe.com.au.
