It Happens Here: Back yard French bakery a big hit in Needham and beyond
NEEDHAM - It's the talk of the town.
Le Petit Four is a back yard kitchen - literally in the back yard of a house in Needham - that can transport you, or at least your taste buds, to France.
"My dream was to start a business for years and particularly in baking because it's inside of me," says Valerie Coullet, the owner of Le Petit Four.
Valerie is originally from Lyon, France, and moved here several years ago when her husband got a job in Massachusetts. Once a successful employee in the finance world, Valerie decided to switch paths and start her own bakery in 2018.
"We started with a small oven, so Le Petit Four means 'small oven,'" she explains.
Now they could be called Le Grand Four as her croissants, brioche, pain au chocolat, cinnamon rolls, baguettes and more have exploded in popularity, becoming a sensation in Needham and the surrounding towns. There are often lines around the block when Coullet hits any local markets.
"Every time, each year, I am always surprised when I see the lines," she told WBZ-TV.
"Good quality, perfection, starting small and consistency" are her secrets to success, as are the size of Le Petit Four's baked goods.
"I said always with the kitchen, we have to be generous, we have to be gourmand."
She's now built a full kitchen in the backyard and has a helper. Local grocers and restaurants are starting to use her as a vendor.
And she's thinking, in the near future, of starting a food truck.
"I am very proud," Valerie says.
For more information on Le Petit Four, visit their website.
