Rémi Bassez, a (re)sourced pastry for Vandromme bakeries

While Olivier Vandromme manages the entire baking section of his three bakeries in Wambrechies, Lambersart, and Bondues, he entrusted Rémi Bassez two years ago with revitalizing the pastry side of the business. His cashew chocolate tart exemplifies his high standards for sweets.

One is composed, with a seasoned demeanor and a gentle, infectious smile; the other is driven by boundless energy and seemingly limitless enthusiasm. Olivier Vandromme and Rémi Bassez are in complete agreement on a set of values such as: 'taste and people above all.'

The pastry chef joined the team in March 2022. 'Every time I went to Wambrechies,' he explains, 'I thought the bread was delicious, but there was a disconnect with the pastries, which weren’t as bold as Olivier’s breads.' It was while walking their respective dogs that the conversation began, leading Olivier to invite Rémi to join him. 'I was afraid of going back to a bakery because I know that some people take shortcuts, while I did everything myself, but he also handles everything from A to Z...'

Without Artifice
Passionate about his craft, Rémi Bassez didn’t initially pursue a career in pastry. It took a degree in eco-management and a few internships to convince him to switch careers at 21, much to the dismay of his father—a craftsman—who had envisioned him pursuing higher education. "But spending eight hours a day in front of a computer was no longer an option." With a CAP in cooking, pastry, and chocolate-making, and a BTM in pastry, he trained under Christophe Pitman before becoming the head pastry chef at the fine dining restaurant Empreinte for four years. There, he refined his technique and understood the central importance of high-quality ingredients. "When the product is good, you don’t need to add a lot of artifice; even a simple result will be good. We spend time selecting our products, tasting them, and comparing them to find the best; everything here is something we love. We don’t do it just because it’s trendy; we want to share it with people," explain the baker and the pastry chef in unison. They also acknowledge that it takes time and education to explain to customers why there won’t be raspberries in their Christmas logs...

Organic Wheat
Seasonal products, as local and organic as possible, homemade natural sourdoughs—the element of time is also highly respected here, particularly with the long fermentations of certain breads. Nearly 80% of the pastry is made with T80 flour from Mr. Jardinet, who grows his wheat organically and mills his flour on-site in Wambrechies. "I find it amazing; I go home, pass by the fields, and think that’s the flour I’ll be working with in a few months. It makes sense. But more importantly, it’s good—nothing like the T45 often used in pastry. The real benefit is the taste."
This T80 is featured in the recipe for his cashew chocolate tart. "I had wanted to work with cashews for a while, but I needed a good supplier with real traceability." The result is perfectly balanced, with textures and flavors that surprise, complemented by a mouthwatering fleur de sel. "Pastry should make you want to come back, to become addictive. And since it’s light and digestible, you can have two!"

By Maryam Lévy

Photos Ava du Parc

3 times Vandromme
16 rue du Pont Levis
59118 Wambrechies

1 av. Hippolyte Peslin
59130 Lambersart

644 av. du Général de Gaulle
59910 Bondues

TARTE CHOCOLATE CASHEW: THE COMPOSITION

• Sweet pastry base
• Milk chocolate ganache 38%
• Cashew praliné
• Namelaka Milk Chocolate Cream (similar to a whipped ganache, made without eggs, and with milk replacing part of the cream for a lighter texture)

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