【Monday Foodie】LALOS Bakery, Authentic Southern French Flavors

Before the morning opening hours, LALOS Bakery staff are making final preparations for the day. Even so, many passersby can’t wait to ask, “Are you open yet?”

 

Chef Frédéric Lalos, holding the title of France’s youngest ever “Best Craftsman of France (MOF)” in bread baking and backed by the endorsements of 18 Michelin stars, made his first overseas branch in Taipei an instant sensation upon opening. During peak hours, long queues are common, prompting the team to not only rely on their long-term resident disciple Guillame Pedron but also urgently dispatch another chef from Paris to assist in Taiwan.

 

LALOS Bakery brings the most authentic flavors of southern France, using milk, cheese, and butter all sourced from a small town called Isigny-sur-Mer in Normandy, southwestern France. The milk produced here has been renowned across Europe since the 13th century. Lalos’ dedication to these ingredients stems from his upbringing in Normandy — his lifelong exposure gave him deep confidence in the quality of his hometown’s butter. Even on the other side of the world in Taiwan, he is committed to delivering the most genuine southern French flavors. That’s why the taste of LALOS in Taiwan is the same as in France, with only slight adjustments to fermentation and baking times based on Taiwan’s temperature and humidity. The meticulous and refined baking process ensures that every loaf achieves perfect freshness.

 

Lalos’ most astonishing creation is the “Pearl Sugar Chouquette,” a delicate and petite pastry that was once a favorite among French nobility. Lalos’ version is soft, fragrant, and richly layered, topped with a dusting of snow-white powdered sugar, offering just the right level of sweetness that tempts you to eat one after another. The French newspaper Le Figaro, the country’s most widely circulated, even hailed it as “the best Chouquette in Paris.” Customers at LALOS Bakery, whether buying baguettes, croissants, or pizza toast, never leave without picking up a few Pearl Sugar Chouquettes. On a regular day, the Taipei LALOS Bakery sells seven to eight hundred of them.

The popularity of the Pearl Sugar Chouquette may have been expected, but the product that surprised Lalos the most in terms of sales is another hit: the “Chef’s Recommended Buckwheat Baguette.” This classic and authentic French baguette is made with the chef’s exclusive rye flour blend and high-quality buckwheat. It boasts a crispy crust and a soft, chewy interior, with no added honey yet a subtle natural sweetness, along with a hint of tang from aged dough. Initially, the chef worried that those unfamiliar with French bread might not take to the flavor, but the buckwheat baguette’s success shows that Taiwanese palates have embraced this French taste — a delightful development.

 

Although Lalos remains committed to authentic French flavors, he has also created special offerings tailored to Taiwanese tastes — items not found in any of his five French stores. For example, knowing that Taiwanese women love cranberries, he introduced a traditional cranberry variety. He also crafted a honey bread, inspired by the wonderful taste of Taiwanese honey. The most intriguing creation is the “Taiwanese-style Focaccia,” filled with chicken and red beans. During his market research in Taiwan, Lalos noticed that every bakery in Taiwan offers red bean bread, so he developed his own red bean-flavored loaf. However, unlike the sweet versions elsewhere, Lalos’ red bean bread is savory — a unique twist that invites everyone to try this surprising French savory red bean bread. In the future, Lalos plans to experiment with Taiwan’s seaweed and guava as ingredients for new products. The exciting possibilities have everyone eagerly anticipating what’s next.

 

To maintain the freshness of every loaf, LALOS Bakery doesn’t have a fixed baking schedule. Instead, bread is baked on demand based on sales, which means you could say fresh bread is coming out all day long. To accommodate this, LALOS Bakery specially installed custom ovens in its Taipei 101 location. The ovens have four tiers, each with independently adjustable temperatures, allowing different types of bread to bake simultaneously without affecting one another — ensuring delicious, aromatic bread is always ready.

Adjusting baking and fermentation times based on humidity is crucial at LALOS Bakery, and the soul of the Taipei kitchen is Lalos’ disciple Guillame Pedron. Having been with Lalos for six or seven years, he was already capable of managing two stores on his own in Paris. The young and handsome Guillame Pedron developed an interest in food and hospitality from a young age. After graduating from culinary school and interning at a bakery, he fell head over heels for the art of bread baking. Guillame Pedron says the constant changes in sourdough are fascinating to feel and understand by touch — which is why he chose to dedicate himself to the baking craft. He even jumped at the chance to cross oceans to introduce the beauty of authentic French bread to the people of Taiwan.

 

Frédéric Lalos’ commitment to ingredient excellence and constant refinement explains why his bread is the go-to choice for many Michelin-starred restaurants in France. And if you haven’t had the chance to enjoy Michelin dining, a visit to LALOS Bakery lets you savor that star-quality flavor firsthand.

 

【Profile】Frédéric Lalos

In 1997, at the age of 26, Frédéric Lalos won the “Best Craftsman of France (MOF)” in bread baking — the youngest recipient in the award’s history.

He owns five bakeries in Paris and its suburbs, and his bread is supplied to 11 Michelin-starred restaurants in France (totaling 18 stars) as well as several international hotels.

In 2010, he was named “Baker of the Year.”

In October 2011, his first overseas store, LALOS Bakery, opened in Taipei 101, followed by a second branch on Anhe Road in Taipei in late October 2013.

 

【Info】LALOS Bakery

Address: B1, 45 Shifu Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City (Basement Level, Taipei 101 Shopping Mall)

Phone: 02-8101-8355

Facebook: LALOS Bakery

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