フランスで1年修業した女性パティシエがたったひとりで営む名古屋のケーキ屋さんの1日

Located in Showa Ward, Nagoya, just a 7-minute walk from Arahata Station, we spent the morning following the owner of natsumi les gâteaux, a small cake shop run entirely by one pastry chef. From preparing the ingredients and decorating the cakes to setting up the display case and serving customers, she does it all by herself. Take your time and enjoy watching each cake come together, one careful step at a time. About the Pastry Chef She first fell in love with baking when she was in elementary school. One Valentine’s Day, she made lots of sweets for her friends and was happy to see how much they enjoyed them. As she grew older, she once walked into her favorite cake shop and asked, “Could I work here?” She was turned down at first. Driven by her dream of experiencing life abroad, she later went to France on a working holiday. She arrived without even deciding where she would work, and initially stayed with an organic farmer. She traveled around France, visiting different pastry shops, and eventually approached a shop where she thought, “This is where I want to work.” Once again, she asked them directly for a job. During her one-year stay in France, she spent 10 months working at that pastry shop. After gaining experience at a cake shop in Nagoya, she returned to France twice to train at Au Chant du Coq. There, she learned that beauty is a given—and if a product isn’t good enough, it simply shouldn’t be sold. What she experienced there became the foundation of the shop she runs today. About the Shop French pastries often feature complex cakes made by layering many different flavors and textures. At natsumi les gâteaux, the cakes are kept simple and understated, allowing the natural flavors of the ingredients to shine. The cakes are lightly sweetened and designed to be enjoyed not only on special occasions, but also as a little reward after a hard day. The shop uses as few additives as possible, and all jams and fruit compotes are made in-house. The fruit comes from Yaobun, a fruit shop also located in Showa Ward. Two types of fresh cream, with 45% and 35% milk fat, are carefully chosen depending on the cake. The display case features a variety of cakes, including shortcakes, tarts, gateau chocolat, and Mont Blanc. Inside the shop, you can also enjoy gelato and coffee, as well as lunch on weekdays. The selection of cakes changes with the seasons. The shop’s logo was created by the owner of the first cake shop where the pastry chef worked. The owner casually drew it in cursive by hand. Shop Information natsumi les gâteaux Address: Kita 2, 4-12-5 Gokiso, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan Phone: 052-856-5476 Hours: 11:00 AM–6:00 PM Closed: Irregular holidays Access: 7-minute walk from Arahata Station on the Tsurumai Subway Line Seating: 12 seats Parking: None Payment: AMEX, electronic payments, and QR code payments accepted Instagram: @natsumi.les.gateaux Opening hours, holidays, and available products may change. Please check the official Instagram account before visiting. Lunch is available on weekdays only. Seasonal products are available for a limited time. There is no parking available.