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The Cronut is making its way to the U.K.
On Friday, September 30, Dominique Ansel (the inventor of the Cronut) Bakery’s new location will open in London. The renowned New York-based bakery is spreading its wings and making its way across the pond.
When the Cronut was first introduced by Dominique Ansel in 2013, few envisioned it taking off to such great heights, but that is exactly what happened. Originally a special for Mother’s Day that year, the half croissant/half donut hybrid quickly became a sensation. This has allowed the business to grow rapidly, which has led to the new endeavor in London, in addition to the previous stores in New York and Tokyo.
Dominique Ansel plans on debuting new items for the London store. One such pastry will be the DKA, a tender, flaky, croissant-like dough with a caramelized crunchy crust. Another item that is sure to be extremely popular is the Cookie Shot, a chocolate-chip cookie shaped like a shot glass that customers will drink milk out of.
Ansel is very excited to debut his new London location, and says that he welcomes the competition from the current London pastry world. “I don’t think it’s about gimmick, I think it’s about having your own personality and your own style . . . You have to make sure you connect with your customers,” he told Bloomberg.
He grew up in the northern French city of Beauvais and started working in a restaurant when he was 16 to earn money for his family. After military service, Ansel got a job in a Paris bakery, where he worked for eight years before he was invited by chef Daniel Boulud to work at Daniel in New York City. Ansel spent almost six years in charge of pastry at the Midtown restaurant, before leaving in 2011 to open his own New York bakery.
