Any patisserie enthusiast will probably be familiar with PhillipeConticini, a French Patisserie chef with a background in authentic French baking and fine dining, but Conticini has now headed from France to New York to open his newest business venture.
Conticini already has a successful chain of patisserie shops and cafes across France, Tokyo and Abu Dhabi under the name of ‘La Pâtisserie des Rêve’, which translates as the ‘Pastry Shops of Dreams’ and these bakeries are based upon traditional French bakes and recipes he loved as a child. After deciding that the New York market demanded something more innovative, Conticini has announced he is set to open the first of his new chain of bakeries, La Maison De Makoto, in West Village.
The Low Down on La Maison De Makoto
Unlike his other solely French focused bakeries, La Maison De Makoto is set to be a fusion of French and Japanese flavours and culinary techniques, all blended together with classic American tastes. The 3,000 square-feet bakery and café are to be located on Barrow Street, Seventh Avenue South in West Village and is made up of two floors: a bottom floor that will house the public café and bakery and an upper floor that will be reserved for private events.
The menu comprises of three main items: mochi with artisan gelato, small and salty bites and Japanese inspired pastries, all to be washed down with a vast beverage menu. Conticini and his team have promised to rely on local produce with all natural flavours, no artificial colours or sweeteners and to cater for the wider market with both kosher certified and gluten free options.
The Logistics of La Maison De Makoto
Although Conticini is more than capable of running the culinary side of the operation alone and has previous experience is turning his passion into a business, he has partnered with hedge fund manager YomiRodrig and his son, Andrea, who will be joining Conticini on his new business venture.
Andrea and Conticini will be working as business partners on the new bakery, while YomiRodrig is the official investor for the business, investing £2,000,000 into the operation and offering business guidance to both his son and Conticini to ensure the success of La Maison De Makoto.
The Future of La Maison De Makoto
Confident that will New York will welcome La Maison De Makoto with open arms and that the bakery will become an American success, there are plans in place to expand the bakery’s empire and venture into the world of street food, bringing French and Japanese bakes to street corners and food festivals all over America.
As well as wanting to take the bakery on the road, a second permanent location for the bakery is also already in the pipeline, with the plan being to launch the second store in the chain over 200-miles away from New York in Boston.
Thoughts on La Maison De Makoto
Getting thumbs up from the discerning world of New York food lovers is a challenge in itself, so the positive response the bakery has received so far is a step in the right direction for La Maison De Makoto. It’s fair to say that the concept behind the bakery is totally unique which although could have been a risk, has helped the new business standout from rival bakeries in West Village and beyond.
The team are regularly updating their Instagram with the latest news on how the bakery is coming along and everything customers need to know, so head over there or to the LMDM Group website for more information.
