the world of gastronomy is recognized as a branch of entrepreneurship, but not for the pastries, of which little is spoken, except of rare figures consecrated. Once in a when there are characters that make their way into sectors that are most forgotten, demonstrate that the kitchen in case you are also in desserts. It is the case of Lluís Pérez, who as a small boy, he went into the kitchen to “make inventions, collect things and assemble dishes or cakes,” he says. This childhood hobby became a viable career path that began in the “great kitchen” and ended up between cakes and croissants.
he Spent three years in the School of Hospitality of Palma de Mallorca and was cooking some of the best restaurants of Barcelona. “He was always looking for the moment to sneak in the area of pastry, that was what I liked.” Until I headed to London, where he had the opportunity to work as a pastry chef at Nobu restaurant more than a year and a half. “I learned a lot. In charge of pastry was a frenchman that combined with mastery of the pastry gala with japanese ingredients like soy or the matcha tea. Mixes amazing that I opened the eyes,” he says. A learning that led him to save and return to Barcelona to work with renowned pastry chef, Oriol Balaguer, famous for his technique of drawing with the chocolate, and went on to win the international competition of figures of chocolate, 2013, organized by the Chocolate Museum of Barcelona.
A new adventure
After this course they decided to start their own bakery, I wanted to start something that would carry his name. And began his pilgrimage to get the funding. Was not easy because “to develop high pastry in Mallorca, where on Sunday it a tradition to eat ensaimada”, did not look like the most brilliant idea.
I Had 6,000 euros in the pocket and, after many efforts, managed to 28,000 of a loan family, 60,000 from a bank credit for young companies and 6,000 of a personal one. A money that allowed him to open the doors of its first store in Palma in 2015, in a local “that he was damned, because until then no business had lasted more than six months,” says this pastry chef of 32 years.
Set its first forecast of sales by 6,000 euros a month, a figure that doubled up with a vengeance from the beginning, ensures. Then his mother, his sister and a helper were his team, which today is 16 people. This progression has a lot to do with the care of his elaborations, which produces and sells fresh each day, except for the pastry which keeps three days. Its turnover reached eur 400,000 in 2018, although the benefits, he says, “wait”.
Use quality raw material and takes care of with care the products of their land. Has prepared cakes, chocolates or panettone with the classical sobrasada mallorquina. It also involves in the recovery of cereals old, used the almond of the island, incorporates olive oil spaniard or grapes of malvasia of the Tramuntana. All of the proximity, except the butter, which brings in from Normandy (France). “It is a special type that is only done with the milk of cows that have grazed outdoors in spring and summer,” explains the entrepreneur. Their star products are the croissants, the chocolate cake and the tart lemon, which sells at prices of between 3 and 4.25 euros per unit.
Perez is living a sweet moment in a profession unusual in Spain, where he has been recognized as pastry chef of the year in the Balearic islands in 2016 and has achieved a third position as a pastry chef and revelation in Madrid Fusion 2018. Even so, the entrepreneur shows his restless spirit and raises new challenges after opening a workshop in 2017 and inaugurate its second store very close to the previous one in 2018. From there, there is a competition in itself distinguished by a product even more elaborate. The challenges that have outstanding pass-by updating your website and start selling online (only the non-perishable food). “So I will be able to test the market and measure the reach of my products outside of Palma”, concludes the entrepreneur of majorca.
