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 Two of my favorite Louisiana artists are related, father and son. Francois and Patrick Poupart have been blessed with the skill and genius necessary to turn mere flour and it’s accoutrements into culinary masterpieces capable of arousing each of your senses in a symphony of pleasure. More than once, I have surrendered totally to the delicate goodness of Poupart’s croissants. I have swooned in the face of their glistening tarts. Each visit to their bakery is preceded by anticipation and indecision. I long for the comfort of the wondrous discoveries of past visits. I crave the adventure of fabulous choices yet unmade.
Francois Poupart and his lovely wife, the late Mrs. Louise Poupart, departed their home in the South of France in 1962, choosing to place new roots in the community of Lafayette, Louisiana. It is a place where the rich patois of their voices blended well with those of the distant “couzans” who preceded them. And their firm belief that in order to live well one must eat well was practically a Cajun sacrament.
Sharing a belief that hard work would lead them down a path to success, the couple’s first business foray was a restaurant, The Normandy. Their second, in 1965, was the bakery. It enabled Francois to concentrate on his forte. Poupart Boulangerie Patisserie soon became a treasured addition to the local food offerings and remains even more so today. Their sumptuous baked goods have become a birthright of those born to the Lafayette area.
Francois did not attain his mastery through pure talent alone. He received formal training through the ancient European Trade Guild, Les Compagnons du Devoir du Tour de France or The Journeymen of “The Duty” on the Tour of France, an ancient organization espousing the freedom of man and the betterment of one’s condition through the mastery of a trade. At various locations in France the skills of the masters are passed on to the  apprentice. To attain full membership in The Guild, one must display the skills required to produce “a masterpiece”. Patrick followed in his Father’s footsteps and each wears the small gold earrings signifying their membership in that historic organization of artisans.
Father and son are an anomaly in today’s mass produced world. Perhaps you have forgotten the taste of true quality, the taste of exacting standards, the taste of the creativity born of immersion within one’s true calling. Or perhaps you have never had the opportunity to experience such a thing at all. I suggest you remedy that immediately with an early morning visit. Perhaps on a weekend so you may linger as I love to, among the many possibilities.
Please enjoy our slideshow.
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