• The Nantais Vincent Guerlais, nicknamed "the agitator of taste buds", is one of the best master pastry chefs and chocolate makers in France.

  • This year, he celebrates the 25th anniversary of his brand.

  • In about ten days, he will open in Sucé-sur-Erdre, the Manoir Claudine, an establishment located on the banks of the Erdre.

Shooting the portrait of Vincent Guerlais at lunchtime is almost torture.

Even with words, Nantes' most famous chocolate maker tickles the taste buds.

The meeting was given at the Manoir de la Châtaigneraie in Sucé-sur-Erdre, not far from his home.

There, where in ten days, Vincent Guerlais, 47, will launch yet another challenge: the opening of the Manoir Claudine – “a nod to my mother who ran a crêperie in Sucé-sur-Erdre” –, but above all a gourmet space with a tea room offer and a savory menu that will evolve with the seasons with a key word: the buckwheat galette.

His story, Vincent Guerlais has told it dozens and dozens of times.

"The first pastries from an early age", "the Sunday morning pound cake made at the age of 10-12", "the attraction for sweets already very small"... The chocolate maker lists the memories of his youth without ever losing his smile.

A doubt about a precise date, he questions Karen, his wife, "his partner", the one with whom he created the first pastry shop, "the historic shop" in March 1997 at 11 rue Franklin in Nantes.

This pure Nantes native calls himself "self-taught", but refutes the term "talented".

“I try to be a pioneer in what I do.

And I have a certain level of requirement…” Which he imposes on his 130 employees.

Because the Guerlais company has grown considerably in twenty-five years.

“The first financial report, we were at 500.

He celebrated his 25th birthday this year with an original cake

Over these twenty-five years, the man who has twice participated in the program

Le Meilleur Pâtissier

on M6 invents, innovates and even surprises the taste buds of customers.

“I immediately created my own products.

Since 2017, I have been making chocolate myself with cocoa beans.

“A particularity that has earned him a few trips to South America.

Venezuela, Costa Rica, Ecuador… For the 25th anniversary of his company, it is in fact in Venezuela that he will draw the idea for his new product.

After an hour by boat and four hours by car, the Nantes resident finally arrives in a reclusive community.

He discovered the Chuao bean, “a rare cocoa”.

A new cake stamped Vincent Guerlais is born.

The latest in a long series.

“I created a few specialties.

The first, the chocolate Berlingot.

The Petit-Beurre too… We are in a region that is not always recognized in terms of gastronomy, it is good to highlight certain local products.

» Six shops in Nantes and in the conurbation are born.

The Guerlais brand is even exported to Japan, to Nagoya.

"My days are busy...", says the man who trained 150 apprentices.

Less however thanks to the help of his wife Karen.

“When we met, she told me that she didn't want to work with her husband, or do business… Like what you should never say never.

»

While Mr. Guerlais is ingenious in the kitchen or in the laboratory, Madame manages "the organizational side and the creation at the level of the shops".

The duo is complementary and well-established.

It contributes to the rise of the brand.

“I am inevitably proud, admits Vincent.

But, I'm not one to look back.

What makes me proud is above all to have created 130 jobs already, but also to please people.

I like when people say to me: 'We had a great time with your cake, it's very good…'” And he's heard this compliment often for twenty-five years now.

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  • Pays de la Loire

  • Nantes

  • Pastry shop

  • The best pastry chef

  • Chocolate