A Sweet S tory
Jackie Kai Ellis dishes on starting over , her favourite local spots and the business of baking by jill Von Sprecken + photoS by kk law
Biting into a perfectly crisp , flaky pastry can certainly feel like a life-changing experience , but in the case of Jackie Kai Ellis , that indulgence actually helped the Beaucoup Bakery ( page 70 ) owner whip up a new life . When Ellis flew to Paris to study pastry making at École Gastronomique Bellouet Conseil , she left behind her life as a graphic designer with her own firm . The catalyst ? A cookie .
Years before , in an attempt to find a bright spot during her struggle with depression , Ellis focused on something positive each day . “ And it would be , this afternoon I ’ m going to eat a chocolate chip cookie ,” she explains . “ I ’ d hold it in my mind all day long . Then eating chocolate chip cookies turned into baking them .”
Eventually , she was baking so much — “ I was giving away like three layer cakes a week ,” she says — that she began to sell her sugary wares at the local farmers ’ market . “ I basically ran my design firm during the day and baked all night . I loved it ,” says Ellis . “ Eventually I just thought to myself , why am I living this life ? So I thought , I ’ m going to go and take a sabbatical for a year , and do something that just makes me happy .”
In 2012 , to the delight of Vancouverites and visitors alike , she returned from Paris to open her charming patisserie . The menu of impossibly irresistible treats includes her buttery , flaky croissants , often cited as Vancouver ’ s best .
Besides running a successful bakery , Ellis also makes a pastry pilgrimage several times a year to host The Paris Tours . When she conceived the idea , she thought , “ I come to Paris a few times a year just to eat . How amazing would it be if I could have people come with me and we could all experience this together ?”
So , when Ellis is in Vancouver , what places top her list ? The seasonal menu at Cinara ( page 71 ) is her choice for out-oftown guests . For sushi , she favours the omakase at Yuji ’ s ( page 73 ). When she craves a well-crafted cocktail , she heads to Grapes & Soda ( page 75 ), where Satoshi Yonemori minds the bar . “ He wants to surprise you , and inspire you ,” she explains .
Ellis is also known for her fashion sense — another thing she picked up in Paris — and upscale shops Boboli ( page 20 ), Gravitypope ( page 20 ) and Max Mara ( page 20 ) suit her sartorial style . She also recommends that visitors hike in Lighthouse Park , which she says is “ one of the most beautiful walks in the forest ,” visit Granville Island , and get a dose of Zen at her “ happy place ,” Willow Stream Spa ( page 26 ).
To find your own happy place , we recommend Ellis ’ s life-changing recipe — a cookie .
January-February 2017 where . ca 11