French patisserie opens in Inverness serving up croissants, hand-made chocolate and more
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A taste of France has arrived in Inverness as O'Délice has opened its doors.
Based in Huntly Street, the traditional French patisserie is founded and run by chef and chocolatier, Emilie Brizard.
She explains people can find mouth-watering sweet treats such as éclair, mousse cake, tart, mille-feuilles and macaron inside her new premises alongside some savoury numbers such as pastries and quiche.
Having started her business in 2022 from her home in the Black Isle, Emilie (40) has been on a mission to find a premises to open her shop.
Speaking about the O'Délice journey, she says: “I have been growing very fast to the point that my house is like a bakery! The kitchen area is too small and half of my living room has been converted for my business storage, so it was time to move.
“I was looking everywhere in the Black Isle and Dingwall, as Inverness was unaffordable for a wee business like mine! But then this unit became empty so I jumped at the opportunity and here I am!”
France-born Emilie has been working in the hospitality and catering industry for over 26 years, having started as a cook apprentice at 14-years-old.
She went on to complete a second apprenticeship to be a pastry chef and had the opportunity to work in a foreign country, so chose to move to England at the Michel Roux restaurant in Bray.
After a short stint there, she moved to Dunkeld House Hotel in Perthshire where she says she had the ‘best time of her life.’
She says: “I loved Perthshire, and I stayed there for three years before moving back to France with one baby and a Scottish partner!”
After a stint back in France, Emilie and her family - now a mum of two - returned to Scotland just before Brexit, and this is when her O'Délice journey began.
To start, her Huntly Street shop will be open three days a week, and she will be producing her bakes at her home in Avoch. However, she soon hopes to have the bakery in-store and will then open five days a week.
She adds: “I’m hoping I will get council approval to have a small seating area inside the shop like a tearoom salon de thé and able to serve hot drinks!”
So although Emilie will be stocking croissants, pain au chocolat and artisan-made Belgian chocolate, she claims she doesn’t have one specialty, but instead enjoys a challenge!
She adds: “What I really like is doing orders with a bit of challenge! I recently made a giant pistachio and fresh raspberry macaron to be shared by eight people and these kind of orders keep my creativity occupied!”
