When Birley Bakery opened on London's Chelsea Green, about two years ago, it was an overnight sensation. ‘We are surprised and delighted with how many of our neighbours visit us for coffee every day,’ Vincent Zanardi told us at the time, estimating that he was selling more than 1,000 croissants a week.
The Bakery — which has since expanded to include a chocolate shop — is the brainchild of Zanardi and Robin Birley of 5 Hertford Street and Oswald's member club fame. Many of the breads on the shelves were formerly only available in the club's restaurants, Zanardi had been honing his recipes for more than a decade.
Such is its success that an international outpost is due to open soon on New York's Upper East Side — success that I selfishly like to think I've sort of contributed to. Steal my iPhone and look through my recent Deliveroo orders and you'll notice that they're nearly all for Zanardi's orange blossom-flavoured tarte tropézienne. And when the sun comes out, you'll find me standing patiently in line, infront of the red shop front's serving window for one of London's best ice creams.
Your aesthetic hero
My aesthetic hero would be, I think, a very talented pastry chef who managed to blend modernity with tradition while maintaining an impeccable standard of quality in his finished products.
Someone very demanding.
His work is known around the world, and I’ve always been seduced by his desserts, his chocolates, and his creations in general: Pierre Hermé.
A book you've found inspiring
La vie est une part de gâteau, the life story of Patrick Scicard, whom I met a long time ago. He once ran the Lenôtre group in France.
He started out working alongside his father in the family pâtisserie, and eventually managed the entire Lenôtre group in the Paris region — a true institution in France.
The book is full of savoir-faire, opportunity seized, and deep commitment. A remarkable man.
An exhibition that has really impressed you
Rather than an exhibition, I would say a museum: the Tenement Museum in New York City. It takes you through an old house discovered intact years ago, and lets you experience the lives of various migrant families — Irish, German, Italian — who left their homes and countries behind in search of a new life. It’s incredibly moving and powerful.
Your favourite painting
California by Markus Prachensky, an Austrian painter I met in the 2000s. He was a passionate lover of good food, and I used to reserve tables for him in Paris when he visited France.
What music do you work to?
It really depends on my mood. Today, it would be a duet by Bernard Lavilliers (above, in 1981) and Bonga called Angola.
I’d probably put Spotify on Radio mode and follow along with that same vibe.
What possession would you never sell
The Laguiole knife I inherited from my grandfather. It’s a traditional pocketknife every man used to carry in his time. It’s an original, and if it could speak, it would have many stories to tell.
What would you take to a desert island?
My Leatherman knife — an essential tool that follows me everywhere.
The best present you've ever received
Louise, my daughter, who will be turning five in just a few days.
A hotel you could go back and back to
Taubenkobel in Austria — a place full of history, in the heart of wine country, run by a passionate family.
Long evenings at the chef’s table, an eclectic mix of styles in the rooms and dining spaces — plus a two-star gastronomic restaurant and a fantastic bistro showcasing the very best local products.
The last podcast you listened to
This morning: Aaron Potter on opening London’s hottest new restaurant Wildflowers.
The last thing of note you bought yourself?
Yet another classic Moleskine notebook — simple lined pages, elegant and discreet — perfect for ideas and notes.
Who would play you in a film about your life?
Jean-Paul Belmondo, but only at the very beginning of his career. Not sure he would have agreed after reading the script though…
What gets you up in the morning?
The passion for what I’ve been doing for more than 30 years now.
Do you collect anything?
Memories — the most valuable thing there is. I’ve become more and more minimalist. I used to keep everything I could, now it’s the opposite. So I wouldn’t say I have a collection… though I do have a few cookbooks back in France.
Your most memorable meal
I could name a prestigious three-star restaurant, but honestly, I’d rather talk about a lunch at a tiny place called La Grotta in Sicily, with my wife.
The fish had just arrived from the morning catch — you choose your fish, and it’s grilled in front of you, feet in the water, a great bottle of local wine, and beautiful company.
That’s the real recipe for creating emotion.
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