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Yvon Coignard C.M.A

Yvon Coignard making a wedding cake

The Gourmet Patisserie was acquired by Yvon Coignard in September 2005. Under his guiding hand the company has tripled in size, producing a wider and improved range of gourmet desserts.

The company now serves some of the best food and beverage operations in London and the South East with a prompt and efficient delivery service using temperature controlled vehicles. Our current delivery coverage includes Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire and London, for other areas across the UK we can put you in contact you with retailers selling our products.

Put us to the test. The proof of the pudding is in the eating!

 

Yvon Coignard's history

Patisserie desserts wholesale

Yvon Coignard first trained as a pastry chef in Normandy completing a three year Classical Patisserie Apprenticeship. On completing the apprenticeship, Yvon, keen to broaden his horizons, set off from his native Normandy to discover other countries and cultures. He was quickly offered a position in England in 1985 and at the age of 19 began a three month contract at Maison Blanc, which was then in Oxford. This short term contract was extended to a full year, giving him valuable experience. At the end of his first year in Oxford, Yvon decided to move to London and stayed there for nine years, working in other, very reputable, patisseries and prestigious five star hotels.

Yvon first became Chef Pâtissier in 1990, leading a team of twenty-one people, working for a leading patisserie wholesaler in London. In 1992, deciding to gain more experience within the hotel industry, he moved to Le Meridien, Piccadilly, where he was awarded the position of Chef Patissier. The following year, he won the Egon Ronay "Desert of the Year" and quickly became a leading figure within the industry.

In 1994, Yvon took up the challenge of going to Egypt to lead a team of 40 people in a five star hotel, which boasted 900 rooms, 12 food and beverage outlets and banqueting facilities for up to 2,500 people. Yvon stayed in Egypt for eighteen months, making the most of the opportunity, to develop his management skills.

In 1996, at the end of his time in Egypt, Yvon then took up the offer of a position as the Executive Pastry Chef at the Hilton on Park Lane, where he stayed for two years. Here, he led a team of 21, supplying desserts for the hotel as well as managing a wholesale company for the Hilton Group, which supplied other Hilton Hotels within the M25.

In 1997, Yvon moved to one of the most prestigious hotels in London and held the position of Chef Pâtissier for four years working with the, then, president of the Association Culinaire Française (ACF), Eric Deblonde at the Four Seasons on Park Lane. 

In 1998, Yvon joined the ACF and straight away, was selected to compete at the British Open of the Salon Culinaire, with the ACF team winning gold 1st category. In 1999, Yvon was elected to stand as a national committee member and continues to hold his seat.

In 2001, Yvon decided to take the plunge and set up his own wholesale patisserie company, but the project had to be dropped, following the 11th September terrorist attack and the subsequent dramatic fall in the level of business in London. The timing for starting a business could not have been worse. Yvon returned to the Hotel Industry, taking the position of Chef Pâtissier at the prestigious Landmark Hotel in Marylebone.

In September 2005 The Gourmet Patisserie came on the market and, with the timing now right, Yvon purchased it. More than 8 years on, The Gourmet Patisserie has tripled in size and boasts prestigious customers such as five star hotels, airlines, conference centres, top caterers, wholesalers and many other prestigious venues.

In 2009, Yvon was awarded the CMA medal by the French minister for agriculture (Chevalier de l'ordre du merite agricole) which is the French equivalent to an OBE for services rendered to the industry. Yvon received the medal later in the year at the French ambassador residence.

In 2013 Yvon opened his first retail outlet and, over the coming years, aims to move The Gourmet Patisserie operation closer to London.