“I make sure every aspect is focused on.”

Joost Arijs has already earned his spurs in the Flemish patisserie world within just one decade. His craftsmanship earned him the resounding titles 'Best Patissier of Belgium' (2013) and 'Best Chocolatier of Flanders' (2019), among others. In 2011, he started his own business in the centre of Ghent with his partner Elke De Baerdemaker. At that time, the focus was entirely on patisserie. "We also had a limited range of chocolates, but that was an afterthought. The space we had to work in was limited and bread and viennoiserie were not on the books just yet." However, chocolate became increasingly popular in the range and when they had the opportunity to expand the property in 2013, Joost and Elke did not think twice. "That is when we started marketing a wider and clearer range of pralines, in addition to chocolate and macarons. We hired more people and chose a clear positioning in the market. I strongly believe in focus. Everything has to be right for us: purchase of raw materials, balanced recipes, efficient production, correct storage, the look of the shop, attractive and practical packaging and so on. Conceptualising chocolate and, since 2022, bread and viennoiserie is only possible when all the parts fit together in the right way."

In 2021, in addition to the patisserie and chocolaterie in Ghent, a larger premises will become available: a former bank building, which is quite a challenge in terms of construction and conversion possibilities due to the vaults present. "You either seize the opportunity or you let it go by," Joost laughs. "Elke and I constantly have new ideas and sometimes the time just isn't right for them. But now, ten years after we started, we saw new opportunities. We felt like writing a new chapter in our book! That resulted in the opening of The Bakery."The Bakery has been up and running since 2022. They sell 100% sourdough-based bread there, as well as viennoiserie. "Not your most predictable range, but some rock-solid classics like croissants and chocolate rolls with Swiss cream. We also have a lot of room for creativity and French specialities. We see that viennoiserie is becoming increasingly popular across Europe: an international trend that is also catching on well in Belgium."

Joost likes to think in concepts. His parents work in the graphics and printing industry: "I may take after them when it comes to design." For his pastries, the pastry chef upholds a clean style, working with sober finishes for both pastries and chocolates and no unnecessary frills or 'old-fashioned' decorations in his shop. He opts for a subtle interplay of textures and contrasts. He also implemented the same style in The Bakery. "Each bread and cake has a specific place in the shop, neatly presented, as you do with pastries. I didn't want to be a typical bread and pastry shop, where you find everything but can't really focus on anything. We are proud of our current range and the style in which we present it."

Joost has learned a lot from leading pastry chefs such as Pierre Hermé, Pierre Marcolini and Patrick Roger. "It's not about who has the very best macaron or the tastiest chocolate cake. It's the experience and the style: it's about the total picture. There's no point spending time and energy on crazy cakes with far-fetched flavour combinations if you don't pay any further attention to them. Without a story on your website, in the shop or on your socials, you won't make it. The complete picture has to be right! As far as we are concerned, that also includes our own visibility. Elke and I are regularly in the shop and we also give customers a glimpse of our bakery when they visit the pastry shop. In The Bakery, you can smell the freshly baked products, see the dough and the craftsmen at work. That transparency is part of our craft. We also believe it is important that crucial functions in our production are not taken over by machines, but remain true manual work. Hands and eyes are the extension of the craftsman's knowledge. In a small-scale company where everything can make a difference, that is incredibly important."

Extravagant flavour combinations is not something you can expect at Arijs. "Customers follow their gut feeling and often choose flavours they already know. Our best-selling cake is the Piedmont: composed of milk chocolate, caramel and hazelnut. Fruit and vanilla also do well, coffee flavours less so. Due to the popular 'East meets West' trend, we are bold enough present a matcha kalamansi white chocolate pastry these days. But we won't go much further than that in terms of flavours." Joost warns colleagues that they should never choose inferior ingredients or seek compromises in production. "There is no turning back. If you want to sell a high-quality, artisanal product, you have to respect and know your ingredients."