Once considered a job for men, probably due to the night shifts and physical exertion required, the image of the baker is evolving. For some time now, a kind of pink wave has been sweeping through the industry, not only in Italy - as we have analyzed in our guide "Pane e Panettieri" - but also abroad. In Paris, a group of specialized female bakers is revolutionizing the world of boulangeries.
The pink wave of French boulangeries
The field of baking in France has always been dominated by men from the beginning. Talented artisans who have set the standard, and during awards and recognition events, have always thanked mothers and grandmothers for teaching them everything they knew. However, there have been too few women in the sector for too long. Fortunately, times have changed, and now a new wave of female presence is gaining ground, starting in the capital.
A new way of making bread in France
It was two women who brought a breath of fresh air to Paris, introducing alternatives to the legendary baguette. The self-taught duo of Anna Trattles and Alice Quillet opened Ten Belles Bread with the idea of providing not only a good bakery service but also a coffee shop, along with English-inspired cakes and pastries. The bakers, in fact, are British, but their bread incorporates influences from around the world.
Another example is Mamiche, a bakery founded by Cécile Khayat and Victoria Effantin, who in 2019 opened a second location near the Saint-Martin canal. They offer classics from tradition but also more original variations, drawing inspiration from foreign cuisines.
Des Gâteaux et Du Pain, on the other hand, is Claire Damon's temple: an artisan baker who grew up surrounded by homemade cakes and bread. In her laboratory, she uses a lot of fruit and vegetables, and in 2018 her brand was elected the best pastry boutique in the country.
Bakers in Italy
Meanwhile, in Italy, Giulia Busato won the Emerging Baker award in the last edition of the Gambero Rosso guide (and has since opened her own bakery), Irene Calamante boasts the Tre Pani (highest recognition in the guide) with her Cuore di Pane Bio in Cabella Ligure, as well as Valeria Messina of Forno Biancuccia in Catania and Sara Bonamini with Tulipane in Rome. They are representatives of Italian baking, along with Roberta Pezzella, Lorenza Roiati, Francesca Casci Ceccacci, and Aurora Zanzcanaro. A list that, we hope, will continue to grow.
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