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Business is booming for Chef Alix Loiselle of La Belle Baguette.
By Jessie Schmidtke
It’s mid-afternoon at La Belle Baguette, and the door settles into a gentle rhythm as customers hurry in hoping to snag the last almond croissant before it’s too late (it’s too late). As I munch on the much-coveted pastry, chef owner Alix Loiselle buzzes out of the kitchen, bringing with him the heavenly waft of warm cocoa and buttery baked delicacies.
Loiselle’s charming bakery delivers all the dexterity and grandeur of French baking—sans the pretentiousness. Pastries and breads are a mix of traditional Franco-Manitoban recipes from his grandmother and classical French technique. Brand identity is key, and La Belle Baguette’s is strong, drawing on elements from Loiselle’s life, like the cute uniforms inspired by his time at a Montreal bakery and signature pink boxes to bring home perfectly round ganache tartes. The bustling St. Boniface neighbourhood is a breeding ground for regulars, with constant foot traffic from nearby hospital and schools. Serendipitously, it is situated on the same street Loiselle grew up on, and he always keeps the needs of the community in mind, quickly evolving his business to include lunch items after a customer asked for a sandwich. There was mustard and brie cheese in the fridge, pears leftover from a batch of danishes, and plenty of bread of course, so why not? READ MORE