”It may be a small oven, but to us, it was one of the most important purchases we had to make”

When chefs Zachary and Amy Tyson set out to open their own bakery together, they had a clear vision about Boulangerie. Their bakery would reflect old world techniques and recipes and they would offer artisanal breads, a long-time passion for this culinary couple. Together the two collaborated on new recipe variations of classics – such as the Tuckernuck, a braided brioche loaf studded with dark chocolate and cranberries. They even found the perfect setting in an old barn nestled in the Waterhouse Pavilion located in the quaint historical village of Kennebunk, Maine. Using reclaimed wood and brick, Zach and Amy turned the front end of the barn into a meeting area where people could relax and have a bite. A small work space approximately 15 x 30 was designated for the kitchen, and Boulangerie was born!

When it came time to design the kitchen, Zachary and Amy looked at their very tight 450 square foot space and couldn’t imagine how they were going to fit all of the equipment and tables that they needed to make their wide variety of baked goods. As they started to shop for an oven, Zachary called Empire and spoke with Bob lacullo who suggested that the MiniTube ™ Deck Oven with Vapor Tube Technology would meet all of their baking needs as well as save on valuable floor space.

“During the decision process, I kept calling back with questions,” said Zachary. “Each time I called Bob, I was satisfied with his answers and found him to be very knowledgeable. He never rushed me to make a decision. It may be a small oven, but to us, it was one of the most important purchase we had to make.”

Boulangerie - Bread

Having an engineering background prior to culinary school, Zachary wanted to be closely involved with the installation.

“The installation went very smoothly,” said Zachary. “When the parts were delivered, I got a chance to see how well the oven was made. This helped reinforce my belief that I purchased a quality piece of equipment. Bob worked side-by-side with the vent and chimney people to get things up and running very quickly.”

Now open for 6 weeks, Boulangerie uses their MiniTube ™ for almost everything they bake.

“The controls are so versatile, I am able to bake all of my artisanal breads as well as my pastries, such as muffins, scones and croissants, in the MiniTube™ Oven.” said Zach. “Even our meat pies are baked in this oven. They puff up very nicely and are a very popular item, he added.”

Zach and Amy love their MiniTube ™ Deck Oven so much, they have affectionately named it “Jolene”. “This is the name used in a few of our favorite songs and it just seemed to fit,” Zachary chuckled.

Read more about Boulangerie, A Proper Bakery at http://www.aproperbakery.com/

If you’re ever in Kennebunk, come by the big red bard and have a tasty treat fresh out of the MiniTube™!

To check out Empire’s full line of Bakery Equipment visit www.empirebake.com