Nicolas Nayener

05/14/2026

More layers 🥐 can’t get enough of them 😬

&D

04/07/2026

I had the pleasure of having Oscar at the lab this weekend.

At 16, it’s not always easy to know where you’re going in life. I’ve always been grateful for the people who exposed me to different paths early on, it helped me figure things out faster.
So whenever I can, I pass it on.

This weekend we made smoked ham & aged cheese croissants, custard & raspberry croissants, classic plain croissants, and pains au chocolat.

“- What was your favorite part of making croissants?
- Eating them.”

Good answer.

Good luck in your future endeavors, Oscar. Keep exploring, life is simpler than we think.

03/04/2026

Croissants look simpler than they are..

It starts with temperature control:
The dough temperature. The butter temperature.
Both must match perfectly to laminate clean layers without smearing.

Then comes dough structure.
The right gluten development to hold gas, resist the added-stress from lamination process, expand during proofing, and create volume without tearing the layers.

Lamination defines the crumb.
The number of layers determines texture, honeycomb structure, and even shelf-life.

Proofing is another critical step.
Temperature must allow fermentation while preserving the butter layers.

Ingredient selection matters too.
Flour strength, butter plasticity, fermentation method.

Up to the egg wash, that can make a visual impact through a successful Maillard reaction.

Adding a pre-ferment brings depth of flavor and makes the product healthier on the guts.

In the end, viennoiserie is both one of the most complex dough systems in baking… and paradoxically one of the most controllable.

Unlike sourdough, fermentation is structured, predictable, and repeatable.

Precision creates beauty. 🥐

02/20/2026

Superbe interview de l’ Ecole Christian Vabret Boulangerie Pâtisserie

Merci beaucoup 🙏

Ancien élève de CAP Boulangerie de l’École Christian Vabret, Nicolas Nayener raconte sa reconversion en boulangerie, son parcours d’Aurillac à Chicago et son message aux futurs apprenants

02/09/2026

🥐 𝗙𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🥖

All of this production is made with Levain (soudough):
• Viennoiseries: 20%
• Traditional baguettes: 15%
• Rye tourtes: 85%
• Sourdough bread: 40%

Levain is not just a flavor enhancer.
It breaks down starch chains and proteins, lowers the glycemic index, all thanks to the lactic acid bacteria and wild yeasts naturally present in the starter. 🧬

Make the right choice.
Choose sourdough 🌱 🌾

02/03/2026

Sebastien, I can’t thank you enough for this immense opportunity you gave me and the US team to make this possible. Offering us a dojo to train repetitively and most importantly, believing in us. What a journey it has been..
Mille mercis… 🙏

01/28/2026

One of the best part of these kind of experience is to make new friends ☺️ a big shoutout to the incredible team of Senegal 🇸🇳