DeRusha Eats: Patisserie 46 Eclairs Among World's Best
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A national semifinalist for best baker and an international competition winner, all tucked away in a South Minneapolis neighborhood.
John Kraus is winning awards and has been winning over customers here for nearly five years.
If you picture a bakery as peaceful and calm, you've never been in the kitchen at Patisserie 46 on 46th Street South in Minneapolis.
"It's controlled chaos," Kraus said. "It's like a small village."
Kraus moved here to open his bakery in South Minneapolis, and now the neighborhood baker is a national semifinalist for the James Beard Best Baker Award.
"It's pretty surprising. It's a big honor. It's a testament to all the guys out there," he said.
Kraus will find out if he's a finalist for the Beard Award on March 24.
Furthermore, he spent 14 months training for the U.S. Coupe De Monde team -- the Olympics of pastry. The U.S. team placed bronze.
"It was really a lot of fun, that day. Leading up to it was a lot of work. I thought I was going to have a heart attack every night," he said.
For that event, Kraus created a multiple layer chocolate cake with a citrusy tangerine marmalade inside. It placed second.
And speaking of international honors, his éclairs have been honored by Food & Wine Magazine for being among the world's best. Patisserie 46's hungry neighbors buy hundreds of them every day.
"It's no secret Minnesotans like baked goods and we like to make them," Kraus said.
Patisserie 46 is at 46th and Grand Avenue. It's open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and on Sunday it's open from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m.