Owner of Val's Cheesecakes in Dallas says he's ready for a change
DALLAS - From inspiration to his reason why, a North Texas cheesecake shop owner tells the story of opening Val's Cheesecakes.
Valery Jean-Bart told CBS News Texas the inspiration for Val's Cheesecakes came after caring for his mother through a years-long bout with terminal cancer; cheesecake was Marie Jose Labossiere's favorite dessert.
Jean-Bart said he and his mother formed an even deeper connection while they baked through more than 200 sweet and savory creations each week, while he helped care for her.
"We baked a cheesecake every Sunday. Every single cheesecake that's on the menu, was a specific Sunday with her...every single item on the menu is perfected by the memories that I have with her," he said.
After his mother passed away in 2012, Jean-Bart pondered what to do next.
A former civil engineer, he channeled his grief and a desire to honor his mother's legacy into a new career, and an eventual partnership with Oddfellows restaurant in the Bishop Arts district helped grow the enterprise.
Eventually, Jean-Bart began selling the desserts to other restaurants in the area.
It was a move Jean-Bart said "spiraled out of control beautifully," and he eventually opened one location on Maple Avenue in Dallas followed by others. As of 2024, two brick-and-mortar shops exist on South Akard Street and Greenville Avenue in Dallas, in addition to a thriving e-commerce platform.
But, after 12 years of running the successful venture, Jean-Bart said he's ready for a change.
"[I need to] take better care of myself, spend time with family and friends," he said. "I've never had time to just be Val...I went directly from caregiver to business owner [and] that's a major transition," he added.
Now, Jean-Bart is writing a new chapter in the story: his own.
"People have been asking me what I'm going to do? I'm going to have a life. There's relief [and] there's also grief because I've been holding on to my mom," he continued as he gestured around the shop located on Greenville Avenue in Dallas.
The memories of his mother can be clearly seen, down to the details: the shop is accented by a bold blue hue, representing his mother's favorite color.
A hibiscus mural, symbolizing Haiti's national flower and their heritage, lines the walls.
"The chocolate on the wall....that's her skin color," he added.
Jean-Bart will operate his current business model through the end of the year. In the meantime, he's also working to secure a licensing that would allow him to hand Val's Cheesecakes over to a new owner.
Along with a new focus on offering classes and consulting to clients, he is also developing Val's Blue Label, a smaller-scale, niche brand of dessert offerings, in addition to cheesecake. In a twist, Jean-Bart revealed his favorite dessert is actually sweet potato pie.
"I do want to pivot [and] I do want to offer a different side of the story...make some time for me [and] take better care of myself and spend time with my family," he said. "I've been holding on to her a lot, I just need to let her go."
