A business that claims to be London’s first vegan patisserie has opened near Hyde Park.
Café Forty One, based inside La Suite West Hotel, aims to provide a ‘contemporary alternative’ to traditional French pastries and sweet items.
As well as vegan breakfasts, lunches and all-day desserts, the restaurant serves afternoon tea priced from £35 per person that includes a selection of sandwiches, patisseries of the week and scones.
Classic French Strawberry Tart (£4.80), Chocolate & Praline Millefeuille (£4.50) and Passion Fruit & Coconut Pavlova (£4.50) are also among the sweet treats that feature on the dessert menu.
“Our ambition for Café Forty One is to create an exceptional and passionate vegan cuisine that stands out against the current vegan offering in London that simply meets the demand,” head chef Clarisse Flon explained. “We are determined to create visually stimulating dishes that will not only subvert the stereotype of vegan food as tasteless and unimaginative, but will cater for everyone, not just vegans.”
Flon, a specialty vegan chef, developed an interest in nutrition following an undetectable chronic digestive system illness.
After working in a patisserie, she realised that the vegan or gluten-free options were “close to none”, with the majority being sugar-heavy.
She began creating vegan recipes herself and subsequently launched her own business, The Sunny Spoon, in 2015 and spent a year working in a hotel in St Barth’s.
“We are very excited to have Clarisse Flon working with us and offer guests unique French vegan cuisine in the heart of London,” said La Suite West Hotel general manager James Jude.
“La Suite West is already known by many for its focus on healthy and nutritious food and we are delighted to be able to offer fully vegan cuisine.”
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