Daniel’s delicate Parisian pastries tickle tastebuds

Originally from Montgomery, Alabama, Daniel (40) owns the Lazy Claire Pâtisserie on Belfast’s bustling Castlereagh Road. It’s a small business specialising in the handcrafted pastries and other cakes found throughout the French capital and other parts of the country.

The only independent pâtisserie in Belfast, Lazy Claire, he readily admits, has found selling French treats in a pandemic quite a challenge.

“We are fortunate, however, in having a loyal customer base in the Castlereagh district that’s supported and encouraged us especially over what has been an immensely difficult year for everyone. There’s a very strong community here that backs local shops and really enjoys the tasty treats that we offer at Lazy Claire,” he says.

“We were fortunate in having developed a strong base during the past two years we’ve been in Belfast before the coronavirus pandemic struck. While we’ve obviously had to stack up the few tables we have due to the lockdowns we’ve continued to provide a collection service for pâtisserie ordered in advance. This has helped to kept the business ticking over. Takeaway is going very well, we’ve also managed to keep a tight grip on costs, We’ll get through it.”

Launched in May 2018, Lazy Claire is probably the most authentic French pâtisserie in Northern Ireland.

“Our focus is on high-quality pastries that are very hard to find elsewhere and are made to exacting standards and techniques that I learned in Paris. I believe our creations are not found anywhere else here. We pride ourselves on being one-of-a-kind,” he continues.

Lazy Claire – the quirky name is based on the long popular chocolate éclair pastry – was launched on the back of a stint working in the famed Angelina pâtisserie and tea rooms, the best known of which is on Rue de Rivoli on the Right Bank of the French capital and near the Louvre Museum.

“We create the same delectable treats you’ll find in Paris.  Each one is handmade to a standard. I think back to the times I walked the Tuileries park in spring and summer enjoying an expertly crafted Parisian pastry. Angelina has been crafting delicate pastries since its foundation in 1903 by chocolatier Anton Rumpelmayer and son René,” Daniel adds.

The location’s charm and the Rumpelmayer’s skill and expertise with pastries quickly made Angelina the place to be among the capital’s elite. Proust, Coco Chanel and the bigges fashion designers gathered in the famous tearoom. It’s famed for its Mont-Blanc, a dessert of sweetened chestnut puree topped with whipped cream and vermicelli, as well as Millefeuille, chocolate eclairs and classic lemon tarts.

The affable and talented American began his pastry career at the former restaurant No. 27 Talbot Street in Belfast and was there until the restaurant pulled down the shutters. He then moved to Paris to gain more knowledge and sharpen his pastry skills. He had always wanted to be a chef during his upbringing in Montgomery, the Alabama capital, a state best known for its ‘Cotton State’ classics such as bulky banana pudding, pecan pie and caramel cake.

“I really didn’t start cooking until I arrived in Belfast in 2012 with a friend from Northern Ireland,” he continues. “My passion for pastry and skills in producing it, however, owes everything to my time in Paris.”

Daniel’s small business here and its exceptional pastries soon attracted the attention of food experts. In 2019, for instance, after being open barely a year, he was nominated for the Food and Wine Ireland Awards as Best Pastry Chef.  

Barely a year later, Lazy Claire was nominated for three Irish Restaurant Awards and Daniel for Best Chef. He’s won richly deserved plaudits for his traditional French favourites such as fresh cream eclairs, macarons, lemon tart, chocolate tart, raspberry tart, all best enjoyed fresh from the shop from discerning foodies.

The business suffered the same fate of so many in the catering sector when the coronavirus pandemic last March and subsequent lockdowns.

“We had established the business and had developed a very strong customer base,” Daniel says.

The pandemic saw Daniel team up with other small companies to take legal action to secure an insurance pay out on a policy they had taken to protect business against disruption to trade. The case ended up with a Supreme Court verdict in their favour.

The compensation could be crucially important as Daniel looks forward to the lockdown being lifted and exciting expansion plans he has developed over the past few months can be implement.

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