The best bread is made by the French. It's pretty hard to argue that.
When you think of pastries in all their flaky goodness, maybe you imagine pastel pink macarons and buttery croissants that wafer away with every bite. Maybe you’re thinking of a decadent, perfectly-whipped dark chocolate mousse, or the savory saltiness of a croque monsieur stuffed with ham and melted cheese.
Maybe you’re a little turned on right now, or maybe you’re googling the nearest bakery to pick up a paper bag full of sweets that will force an involuntary harmony of "yum-yum” noises from your mouth upon consumption. If you’re in Downtown LA, your GPS may send you towards those who have fashioned a heaven of gluten and sugar: the French.
Frédéric and Fabienne Souliès are the owners and married duo behind
Pitchoun!: a Parisian-style bakery and cafe with a location in Downtown and at the Beverly Center. While Frédéric hails from southwest France, and Fabienne is from Provence, the two met while attending university in California. “We moved back home and got married and started a family and settled into life in France, but in our hearts, we always wanted to come back here,” they tell Citizine.
Fabienne and Frédéric Souliès, image courtesy of Pitchoun
It was Frédéric’s passion for cooking that gave them a reason to come back. “You could say my passion for food is in my DNA!” he jokes. "My grandparents on my father’s side are farmers, and bakers on my mother’s side, and I always loved to spend time in the kitchen experimenting. In a way, I always wanted to pursue that professionally, but was just waiting for the right moment to make it happen.” The couple made the jump a few years ago to take on the new challenge of opening up a bakery.
“The biggest challenge was getting the bakery up and running,” says Frédéric. “In France, opening a restaurant takes much less time, as there aren’t the same permitting steps and requirements there compared to here in the US.” Fortunately, getting adjusted to the American restaurant scene was one of the only major obstacle they faced when opening Pitchoun! "Seeing how warm our customers were, and how many French expats were so thrilled to have a taste of home here in LA, pushed us to open a second location of Pitchoun! at the Beverly Center, so we could bring our passion for pastry to a new neighborhood,” says Fabienne.
Pitchoun! is the child of French baking technique and LA’s fast-paced cafe scene. "Yes, we are French, and we use traditional French techniques in our baking and cooking, but we care about fresh, high-quality ingredients as much as possible,” says Frédéric. They even grow their own starter for breads, and import butter straight from the homeland—all part of the craft and detail that Angelenos adore.
"LA is such an active city with so many different lifestyles, and we are here to be whatever you need: a place to stop by for your morning coffee (and pastries, of course), a place to grab a quick lunch, or pick up some baguettes to take home for dinner at the end of the day,” Frédéric adds.
As much as this city has impacted how the couple operates their business, Frédéric and Fabienne wouldn’t be surprised if their passion for bread and pastries rub off on the West Coast. It’s a taste of France for the Americans, and a bite of comfort for les voyageurs. "Pitchoun is a home away from home—both for the wanderlust lovers who dream of one day visiting France, or French expats who dream of getting a taste of home again!"
Pieces of France are tucked away all around the Los Angeles. Here are some of Frédéric and Fabienne’s favorite Parisian shops around Los Angeles:
Fabienne and Frédéric Souliès, image courtesy of Pitchoun
ba&sh
Beverly Hills
Fabienne: I’ve always personally loved this brand, that has remained over time very faithful to its values! Every seasonal clothing line shows lots of details, colors, beauty of the fabric… it’s the definition of a real bohemian chic label!
Please Do Not Enter
Downtown LA, $$$
Frédéric: This arty concept store is our neighbor in DTLA. The owners, Emmanuel & Nicolas, have such great taste and bring back from France eclectic artists they represent here! In my humble opinion they own a legitimate spot in the top art gallery LA scene.
Mod's Hair
Beverly Grove, $$
Fabienne: Mod’s Hair is a French brand launched 50 years ago by 2 brothers. Mod’s Hair Los Angeles has this authentic French salon ambiance but also French highly skilled hairdressers! Eric Leboeuf is the only hair-dresser that touches my hair in this city! They also have a lot of really great products that I love to browse through after I get my hair styled!
Jenni Jane
Fabienne: Jennifer Weiser has this truly French sense of detail in designing her bags. She designs each b ag herself, which is also hand cut and assembled using classic techniques (like Pitchoun!). This is a small, independent brand and I really like her branding – I’m a huge fan of the Gab black bag which really aligns a Californian style to a Parisian spirit.
Le Petit Paris
Downtown LA, $$$
Frédéric: We cannot finish this list without a French restaurant for dinner and special occasions! Fanny & David Rolland own this brasserie in the heart of DTLA in a gorgeous historical building, where they create dishes from authentic recipes that you won’t find in other restaurants. We love the French beef tartare, just seasoned the way we have it in Paris or the Sole Meuniere to die for!
Image courtesy of @modshairla
Header image courtesy of Pitchoun!
Image courtesy of @pitchounbakery 
Image courtesy of @bashparis 
Image courtesy of @pleasedonotenter
Image courtesy of @jennijaneparis 
Image courtesy of @lepetitparis_la 
