He’d never tried baking before. Ever. But five or so years ago, Kevin Zurmuehlen got the urge after watching “The Great British Bake Off” on TV with his wife, Kristen Zurmuehlen.
Interested in trying a new endeavor, Zurmuehlen, who’s spent 34 years with the U.S. Army, started with a chocolate babka.
That went well enough he kept at it. His first attempt at croissants provided a crucial test - and affirmation. "Because they take two to three days to put those together," Zurmuehlen says, "depending on what you're trying to do, and when they came out tasting pretty good, flakey and buttery, I thought, 'OK, maybe were on to something here.'"
His interest intensified. Zurmuehlen even went to Boulder, Colo. to study at the Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts, where he was certified as a pastry chef.
"When I came back to Huntsville and started looking around to where I might go and do pastry chef type stuff," Zurmuehlen says," I realized no one in town was really offering that type of option. So we started taking a look at what it would take to open up our own shop."
Croissants by Huntsville bakery/café L’Etoile Patisserie. (Courtesy Kevin Zurmuehlen)
These ingredients have risen into business. On Oct. 7, Zurmuehlen will hold a grand opening for L’Etoile Patisserie, his new French-style bakery and cafe, located as 1214 Meridian Street. Housed in the former Lincoln Mill commissary, L’Etoile Patisserie will seat up to 26 people in a 1,700 square foot space. There will be outdoor seating as well.
As far as the name goes, “l’etoile” is French for “the star” and “patisserie” refers to a bakery specializing in pastries. Zurmuehlen says pastries there will cost between $2 and $4.50. He feels L’Etoile’s pain au chocolat, basically a chocolate croissant, and gâteau au fromage, a French cheesecake, could emerge as signature items. “In the United States,” Zurmuehlen says, “cheesecakes tend to be a little bit dense and high and in France they are very light, airy and just full of an incredible amount of flavor.”
Flan Parisienne from new Huntsville bakery/café L’Etoile Patisserie. (Courtesy Kevin Zurmuehlen)
L’Etoile Patisserie will also serve European espresso-based coffee drinks, like lattes, cappuccinos and espressos, for $2 to $4.50. Hot and cold teas are in the works too.
In mid-May, L’Etoile began taking online orders for pick-up. The strategy helped build a social media following and customer base before even opening a storefront. Indeed, they’ve been able to amass more than 1,250 followers on both Facebook and Instagram, and photos posted of items like choux a la creme and chocolate torte, look exquisite-delectable. A 24-hour or more advance notice is required for these pre-store pick-ups and orders need to be larger - think half-dozen, dozen, etc. Once the shop opens, single portions will, of course, be in play.
During 20 years of active Army duty, Zurmuehlen was stationed in places including Iraq, Korea, Fort Hood, Fort Rucker and Redstone Arsenal, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. An Ohio native, he and his family moved to Huntsville in 2002. Besides family and church, his interests include running marathons.
Chef Kevin Zurmuehlen of new Huntsville bakery/café L’Etoile Patisserie. (Courtesy Kevin Zurmuehlen)
So why did baking hook him? "Baking is really chemistry in action. It's very precise, you have to follow a very definite process and if you don't you have disastrous results. So that appeals to me, the detail oriented, technical side."
Cinnamon Brioche from L’Etoile Patisserie. (Courtesy Kevin Zurmuehlen)
Through their Army experience, the Zurmuehlen family had the opportunity to travel throughout Europe. They became entranced with French cuisine, the French style of eating, the entire atmosphere associated with food in France. "It's an experience," Zurmuehlen says. "You're not just getting something to eat for dinner, you're going to dinner and while your there you're having something to eat. We're opening to bring a little bit of that into our patisserie here as well. You're not just coming in for a croissant or a pain au chocolat or a good cup of coffee. You're coming in to have a relaxing afternoon while reading a book."
The L’Etoile centers around four convection ovens and make-or-break proofers. Initially, the staff will be comprised of six employees. Hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Zurmuehlen is excited about opening a business in Huntsville’s Lincoln Mill district, between Holtz Leather Co. and Preservation Company historic architecture and design. “That area of town, Lincoln Mill, the city of Huntsville has put a lot of time effort and money into the infrastructure of that area because it’s a growth area,” he says.
Of course, the coronavirus pandemic has presented massive challenges for Huntsville business, particularly in the service industry. Zurmuehlen is well aware, but truly believes a new business can still work - just as long as it fills a hole.
The beginnings of chocolate brioche babka from L’Etoile Patisserie. (Courtesy Kevin Zurmuehlen)
“The most frequent comment I get from our customers,” Zurmuehlen says, “is that Huntsville needs a bakery like the one we are opening. COVID presents challenges. But as long as we navigate the environment in a way that continues to meet customer needs, I am confident in our growth and success.” He’s walking the talk, too. Zurmuehlen left his Army job two weeks ago to focus on The L’Etoile full-time
Pandemic or no pandemic, baking is a wild animal. Depending on atmospheric conditions, a food that might have taken 90 minutes to rise yesterday might take almost twice that today. “There a lot of here’s my plan for the day and a lot of re-planning for the day as you take a look at how your bread and pastries are progressing. That’s a challenge.” (More info at letoilehsv.com.)
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