At 5:30 AM on Saturday mornings, while most students are fast asleep, Caroline Koenig ’14 can be found at her family’s bakery, Isabelle et Vincent, helping her parents prepare the latest batches of baguette bread and pastries.
The bakery opened in 2007, when the family moved their successful 7th generation business all the way from France to Fairfield.
“It was time for us to give ourselves a challenge,” said Caroline’s mother, Isabelle Koenig.
After visiting the United States, they chose Westport as their new home because of its good quality of life and international population. Moving overseas was a difficult task, which involved selling the old bakery, and many other possessions.
When they arrived in Westport, the Koenigs didn’t speak much English, and had to cope with many of the troubles many face when adjusting to a new home overseas. After careful preparation, however, their move was successful, and the bakery found its feet almost instantly.
“The success was immediate,” Isabelle said.
According to Isabelle, the customers on weekdays are typically from Fairfield or Westport, coming for bread or pastries. During the weekend, however, people visit the bakery from all around the Tri-State Area. About thirty percent of these customers order their baked goods in fluent French.
Caroline is at the bakery on Saturday and Sunday mornings for three to eight hours, helping ready all the food for sale and having a breakfast of French bread and marmalade with the family.
“After sports and homework, she helps when she can,” Isabelle said.
Caroline enjoys assisting the customers on these mornings.
“Welcoming them to the bakery is really fun,” she said. “I get to make suggestions and make their coffees.”
According to Isabelle, Caroline is very knowledgeable in the family business, and knows everything she does, sometimes even training new employees.
“She can do everything I can,” Isabelle said.
Caroline also says that because the bakery is one town over from Westport, where she lives and goes to school, people familiar to her frequently stop by the bakery.
“I see a lot of people from school,” she said. “My friends, my teachers and my cross-country coach.”
These customers get to enjoy the unique treats made daily at Isabelle at Vincent, which glisten in the long glass counters.
Like most of the many family bakeries in France, Isabelle et Vincent has its own special recipes, kept secret and handed down from father to son.
“There is a story in each bakery,” said Isabelle. “You need a special relationship with your ingredients, like an artist when they paint. You need to put personality in your bread.”
The Koenigs are now operating their bakery in Fairfield, still make their bread, chocolates, cookies, pastries and ice cream this way, the same way they did in France.
Caroline has been assisting her parents with this family affair for more than 4 years, and according to her, the lifestyle continues to have its benefits.
“I really enjoy that my parents own a bakery,” she said. “I can eat as much dessert as I want!”
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