At once bright and modern, contemporary and light, The French Kitchen brings an effervescence and duality to traditional French pastries and cuisine. You will find a low hum of joy and busyness with every visit, as locals pop by to pick up a half-dozen lemon curd or Nutella Queenets (a pastry of love), a Colorado take on the quiche (with green chiles, of course), or to grab a few freshly-baked baguettes.
“I always go for flavors," says CEO and chef instructor Blandine Mazéran. "I really want to have things that are tasty, that people remember.”
Moving to Colorado Springs from France in 2008, Mazéran began baking many foods she missed so much from her French region. By 2012, her love of French baking had grown into a home-based cooking class business and eventually grew so large, she opened The French Kitchen in 2017.
Community and Flavor Focus
In tandem with an extraordinary, family-infused culinary team, Mazéran has built an incredible space to not only grow her business, but the community's love for cooking and baking. The French Kitchen now offers 120 different classes, the largest offering in Colorado with about 21-25 classes per week. From Bold Brunches, Sourdough Starters and Indian Cuisine to the well-loved (and Mazéran’s favorite), Croissants, there is a class for every palate and skillset.
As the winter holidays approach, The French Kitchen also features classes to wow out-of-town guests or to bond with family, including Holiday Cookie Tins, Champagne-Strawberry Yule Logs and from-scratch Gingerbread Houses (perfect to try with younger bakers). Not enough time in your schedule? TFK also offers an array of flash classes that settle in at just about an hour, like their Scones, Cupcakes or Madeleines classes.
At the helm of many of the classes is Chef Nathan Potter, teaching kitchen manager, instructor and pastry chef. His love of the communal nature of food translates into his everyday culinary approach.
“We make the classes approachable, translatable to the home kitchen,” he says. “Everybody has a story with food.”
One such innovation from Chef Nate: Mousse of the Month. Flavors like Crack Jack and Caramel Apple Pie create a decadent “venue for nostalgia” for guests. His favorite class to teach: Indian cuisine, which leaves students with recipes for hand-rolled garlic naan, butter chicken and samosas, among other popular and flavor-fueled dishes.
A Seat at the Table for Every Local
Offering a dine-in cafe featuring an extensive coffee bar, market stocked with pre-made deliciousness for those chaotic nights when time is scarce, boutique French foods, carryout and delivery, The French Kitchen has an option for every table. It’s hard not to get excited about a local space that is grounded in its ability to share its love of food with Colorado Springs.
“Everything is made from scratch," Mazéran says. "Real ingredients you can name. It’s important to have small businesses. Give us a chance.”
Address + Phone: 4771 N. Academy Blvd | 719-528-6295
Website: https://tfkcc.com/
Instagram: @TheFrenchKitchenCo
Facebook: @TFKCC