From IT to la Boulangerie
It is said that the first way we connect with others is in being fed. Laurent L’Hénaff is all about sound food and relationships. He was raised in the westernmost region of France, Brittany, known for crêpes, cider, seafood and exquisite butter. By nature, Laurent is industrious and a problem solver which led him to study electronics. His early career is comprised of a series of positions in Information Technology which culminated with six years in the role of Project Manager at The Campbell Soup Co. Fast forward 20 years and he is making a living in a completely different place in the culinary world, this time as baker and entrepreneur.
Although Laurent liked his work and many things about the trappings of his corporate life in France’s capital city, he longed to exercise a different skillset. He began cooking and eventually, when his company went through organizational restructuring, he decided to undertake formal culinary training. He had entered a transition that encompassed most significant aspects of his life, one of which was career change.
Laurent enrolled in a masters programs at Ferrandi, Paris. The rigorous program gave Laurent the opportunity to learn the principals of french cuisine, refine essential cooking techniques and develop his artistry. Laurent has earned wide recognition for his skills. His course qualified him to work in a restaurant or cater to diners as a personal chef. In those early days, Laurent entered many culinary contests where his skills were widely recognized; this in a country where food is practically deified.
As owner of Le Pain Laurent L’Hénaff, Laurent connects with his clients, family and employees through bread, an emblem of French life. Laurent bakes from ancient grains and natural flours in traditional methods to produce healthy products. His shop offers with a wide variety of breads and specialties such as koulgn-amann, a traditional pastry from Laurent's Breton heritage. The production, marketing, management of the business requires energy and focus. This notwithstanding, Laurent’s appetite for learning is unrelenting and keeps him shaping bread, business and life in new ways. Here are some answers in his own words (though his English is excellent, you can almost hear his lovely French accent).
What is important for you in the culinary arts? I’m not sure art is the right word, but in my case the fact to be alone managing the company (vs being employed) allows me to explore the bread in any direction, and in this way I can let my creativity go as far as the technique allows me to do so. Due to the technique and constraints I use sourdough and ancient wheat, I keep learning all the time, driving me deeper in the directions I chose, enforcing the creativity and expanding it further.
Which skills from working in large organizations and in IT have been valuable to your current work? Management. Definitely management, as I was managing a team and was responsible for network, support and project manager, the best manager I had showed me a lot about how managing a team and how to respect people. I use it on a daily basis, and my current employees happened to be surprised by such a human respect, recognition. For example, in France, as you know, we have 2 ways to speak to people : formal and familiar. Usually in every bakery, you speak to your boss using the formal you, “vous”. When they begin work, I tell them to speak to me using the familiar “tu”. I consider us to be a team, all working together and not employees working for me. Although this is true that they work for me, I don’t want them to feel it that way. Another example : when they achieve a task, I say thank you. It sounds normal, and basic manners. But they were all surprised at first :D
What factors did you consider in making the transition? Tenacity is key, especially if you want to go into a direction where no one (except close family and friends) believes in. Then, being open minded towards the project, as everyday the project may move in a slightly different direction, so acceptance and flexibility to shift towards different ideas is a key factor. Also energy, as it requires a lot of it... still does actually :)
“Tenacity is key, especially if you want to go in a direction where no one (except close family and friends) believes in.”
How did you decide to specialize in bread and baking? When I was cooking for people as a chef, I was already making bread and when serving the plates, I found I was talking more about bread, sourdough, fermentation... At some point I had to face that reality and decide to go further. It took like two years to get it ready afterwards before the official launch. And yes, many times I wanted to throw it away when the banks kept refused the loans...
How do you define success? Has the definition changed over the course of your career? Before baking, I was working and let my body flow between IT jobs without really thinking about myself, then after winning a cooking contest, I was so proud of it and really felt a shift, like a door opened itself. I was feeling good, and that was a very personal feeling, a strong inner one. A key success that was, then my personal life changed and evolved, I divorced, and went on my own. Meeting my current partner helped me grow a lot, as she works in human energies, with many interactions with positive human evolution. There’s no secret about that fact we meet people whose trajectory is similar, for the past five years everyone we meet are in this direction : our human evolution.
If we go back to success itself, the major one I have everyday is to feed people with good bread, not only the taste, but what that bread brings them. For instance, due to industrial food disaster, so many people tend to eat gluten free. Those people eat my bread, and this is satisfying. Like the people who simply time a shout to say : thank you. that is a kind of success, but hidden behind daily huge amount of work.
With whom would you like to cook or collaborate? Any baker who’s spirit is similar. I’m not alone, fortunately ;)
What do you most appreciate about the people with whom you have worked? Humanity, for those who had the human recognition. Friendship, work doesn’t have to be a burden.
What advice would you give your 25 year old self? hahaha, funny one :) Dare going, go, stop thinking, go and follow your wishes, damn you.
What do you want to learn next? Photography, as it helps being NOW.
Do you have a (one or more) cookbook(s) you recommend for the home cook? Definitely The Modernist Cuisine at Home. Not a book of recipes, but technical explanations about food. Might sound complex at first, but if you like to understand what’s going on then you keep reading this huge heavy book till the last page :)
Please find more about Laurent on:
website : https://lepain-laurentlhenaff.fr
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/le_pain_laurent_lhenaff/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LePainLaurentLhenaff/