A seventh-generation French baker and his wife have opened their artisan shop Isabelle et Vincent in Fairfield with ambitions of rising to the top on Post Road and making a home in town.
“We are here to realize our dream,” said Isabelle Koenig, co-owner of Isabelle et Vincent.
Isabelle and Vincent Koenig came to America with intentions of setting up an authentic European bakery. After five weeks, they have lines out the door.
An Irish friend with a summer home in Westport invited them to visit in January 2007 and the couple embarked on making their dream of coming permanently to the States a reality. That spring, they sold their business of 18 years, a chocolate shop and bakery in Strasbourg, France, and came to Fairfield with their two children.
“Our friends and family said we were crazy, but my generation wants a challenge,” said Isabelle. “We always need a challenge.”
“Our bakery had a successful reputation in France,” said Isabelle. “In America we still want to be the top of the pastry business and satisfy our customers.”
In addition to bread, the shop also sells hand-made chocolates, pastries, ice creams and specialty cakes.
Vincent”™s family has been baking since 1790 and making pastries since 1900. In addition to his pedigree, he has 22 years of professional experience and a master’s degree in dessert arts as a patissier, confiseur and glasier.
“Vincent is an artist of chocolate,” said Isabelle. “He’s doing the same thing he was doing in France, and just bringing it to America.”
The Koenigs imported all of their equipment and continue to buy all of their ingredients directly from France.
Isabelle has designed the entire shop herself with nooks for customers to sit and enjoy their pastries.
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“It would be easier and cheaper to buy chocolate boxes and equipment in America, but then it would not really be us,” said Isabelle. “Our boxes are specially made for the chocolates. We will have a different line each year, like the fashion.”
According to Isabelle, most of the décor was bought in France or passed down from her husband’s family.
“The only thing we have changed about our business, when coming to America, is that all of our employees are American,” said Isabelle. “We want to show that we are following this dream not only for us, but also for the American people.”
The bakery produces new and different varieties of bread every hour, the culmination of 48 hours of preparation.
“We strive for perfection,” said Vincent. “You will pay the same price for bread no matter what time you come in and I want to make sure it is the same quality.”
“There are other benefits,” said Isabelle of employing Americans. “It is a language lesson everyday.”
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