Today we’d like to introduce you to Hana Quon.
Hana, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve been obsessed with cooking and baking since I can remember, however, it took some time until I realized I could do what I loved as a vocation. When I was in college I had a kitchen of my own and that’s when I really started exploring baking and tweaking recipes. After getting a liberal arts education and my first job out of college, I realized I needed a culinary education if I wanted to try making baking a career. I decided to attend L’Academie de Cuisine in Maryland, close to where I grew up, and it was there that I studied pastry, a field that fits well with my analytical and planning nature. After graduating and working as a pastry cook at a hotel that did high volume, I was ready for a place that prioritized quality and technique. I ended up taking the plunge and moving up to MA to join the team at PB Bistro & Boulangerie in Wellfleet, Cape Cod. This is where I met James Beard Award winning Chef Frederic Robert who worked for Alain Ducasse for over 25 years, but also, where I learned to love the art, craft and discipline that goes into making truly great food. Although the hours were long, particularly in during the summer season, I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world because I learned so much. Chef Fred also provided many unbelievably exciting professional opportunities for me such as going to additional training at l’École Bellouet, a pastry school in Paris, France and working in a patisserie in Lyon, France. After two years, Fred offered the opportunity to work together on our own bakery in Boston, and I jumped at the chance!
Has it been a smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road but I think that you learn much more from the “bumps”, so to speak. When Chef Fred and I started Café Madeleine we had a specific vision for the space at 517 Columbus Avenue in the South End. However, renovation was a huge challenge that I struggled through. Being a pastry chef had given me some management experience but I had to learn a ton of new skills. For almost a year, I was simultaneously setting up a business, managing a construction project, and working through Boston’s permitting process. And then after we started, I was running a kitchen, managing the front of house, and learning accounting on the fly all while still baking full-time. But that just made it all the sweeter to emerge on the other side and start to finally serve our first customers.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
The mission at Café Madeleine is to offer customers the elegance and artistry of a fine French patisserie at neighborhood prices. This focus on authenticity is something that permeates our culture, from the ingredients we select, to our production process, to the passionate and dedicated people we hire. This focus on authenticity is driven by our own love of food and desire to share our food, and our passion, with our customers. At Café Madeleine, our products range from traditional viennoiserie (such as croissant and pain au chocolat) to fine French pastry (such as tarts and eclairs) to a selection of soups and sandwiches. We are definitely known for our croissants and cookies but in the summer, many of our customers love to try our lobster roll, which we do as two rolls (one for claw meat, one for tail meat) topped with refreshing mango and radish and served with a wedge salad. What differentiates us from other bakeries is our focus on freshness and quality. Our customers know that whenever you eat one of our delicious treats, it was made from the finest ingredients (often imported directly from France) and that it was lovingly made by a trained professional THAT DAY and hasn’t been sitting around in the case for the last week.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Boston is a great city to start a business. Although it’s not the largest city, it does have some really wonderful people and the South End is a unique and tightly knit community that is a pleasure to serve, day in and day out. I would definitely recommend Boston as a city to start a business in!
Pricing:
- Croissant 3.00
- Pain au Chocolat 3.75
- Lemon Tart 4.75
- Mille-feuille 5.50
- Croque Monsieur 9.75
- Iced Coffee 3.50
Contact Info:
- Address: 517 Columbus Ave.
Boston, MA 02118 - Website: www.cafemadeleineboston.com
- Phone: (857) 239-8052
- Email: cafemadeleineboston@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafemadeleineboston/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cafemadeleinesouthend/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cafe_madeleine?lang=en
Image Credit:
Brian Fluharty and Nate Laffan
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