Robb Report: Why Parisians Camped Out Overnight for This Instagram-Famous Pastry Chef’s New Bakery

Dec. 6, 2019

It’s 8:30 a.m. on a wintry morning in Paris, and there’s an unusual amount of commotion happening not far from the historic Palais Garnier in the city center. Around 150 people are standing outside 35 Avenue de l’Opéra in a long line that extends the next block up and wraps around the street corner, attracting the curious looks of passers-by on their Friday walk to work.

It’s only been about 15 minutes since the sunrise has brought the crowd out of the frosty November darkness, into the sun, and one step closer to their collective goal: to be among the first to step foot into arguably the hottest new opening in Paris this winter, pastry shop Cédric Grolet Opéra.

At 8:45 am, Elliott Peltier, 21, is finally at the front of the line after having camped outside the bakery overnight for more than seven and a half hours for the chance to meet his idol, Cédric Grolet, and nab a three euro ($3) croissant—around three times the price of a regular croissant in Paris.

“He’s an icon of contemporary French pastry-making,” says the young aspiring chef while clutching the fold-up chair he had been sitting in since 1 a.m. that morning. “I’ve been following him for years.”

More at https://robbreport.com/food-drink/dining/cedric-grolet-bakery-paris-opens-2885184/