In just a few years, his bakery and pastry shop has become a reference in downtown Argenteuil.
Youssef El Gatou, at the head of Maison Héloïse, located at 14, avenue Gabriel-Péri, has lost count of the awards amassed by his team.
“I must have around fifteen awards,” he confides, without ostentation.
Always looking for a new challenge, he is organizing a parade of chocolate dresses which will be held this Saturday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., at town hall.
“I love my job, I use noble materials, I take pleasure in making people happy,” he explains.
Read alsoArgenteuil: the Maison Héloïse bakery and pastry shop, a competition beast
He had the idea for this event in 2015 while he was working at Ladurée, while going to the chocolate fair.
He remembers being very impressed.
“I had a friend who was making a bustier, on a mannequin.
It was spectacular,” he relates.
Volunteer in an association which offered activities and educational support in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, he said to himself that this type of project would surely be successful in the town.
Metre-high piece of art revealed
Two years later, he opened his store in Argenteuil.
A partnership is established with the town hall which offers to carry out its project within the town hall.
This Saturday, the public will be able to participate in a cake competition on the theme of chocolate and poppies (reference to Claude Monnet).
He and his team are hard at work preparing the parade of chocolate dresses on the same theme and the one-meter artistic piece that they will unveil.
He also brought in the Baking and Pastry School, where he was trained, to give career advice.
The bookstore, Le Presse-Papier, will also have a stand there with cookbooks.
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For the cake competition, he invited Jean-Michel Perruchon, pastry chef and best worker in France who will be the guest of honor.
In the jury, there will also be the cooking influencer Nabil Zemmouri (@chef_n_zem on Instagram) and the chef Gabi Shafir.
Youssef El Gatou also brought in a dietician for a talk on the theme of chocolate and the Argenteuil boutique Picolo will discuss the combinations of chocolate and cheese.
A reference in competitions
“For the kids, it’s great.
I would have loved seeing a parade like that,” he enthuses.
Formerly an entertainer for children and adolescents, he has retained this pleasure of organizing collective events.
It is also an opportunity to do something for the city in which he has acquired a great reputation, thanks in particular to the numerous prizes he has won.
This year again, one of his apprentices obtained second place in the departmental competition for the best galette des rois.
He himself placed second in the employer category, which qualifies him for the regional competition which will take place in the spring.
“It’s a challenge, it allows us to know what level we have, and to question ourselves too.
The team likes it,” he explains.
Saturday February 3 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Town hall, 12-14 boulevard Léon-Feix.
Free.
Pre-registration online for the cake competition:
https://bitly.ws/3bvVs