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An interview with Jean-Luc & Evelyn of Suzette French Crêperie

This month, we are overjoyed to spotlight Jean-Luc Wittner & Evelyn Darling, owners of Suzette French Crêperie. They opened their first location in Worcester during the pandemic, and it was quickly a big success. Though they had not planned on opening a second location, when asked to visit Northampton and consider the possibility, they immediately fell in love.

Their amazing, made-to-order crêpes are already a hit with locals and visitors alike, and they are thrilled to be a part of both downtown and Thornes. Stop by their shop on L1 for a sweet or savory crêpe, a vibrant macaron, or a classic take-home meal.

Jean-Luc & Evelyn, please share your story with us.

Prior to opening the crêperie, I had always felt like I wanted to open a business.  I felt confident about my skills in operations, but not as much about how to actually execute it. My wife Evelyn, on the other hand, had always wanted to do something like this and is excellent at executing a plan and making things happen. I know how to cook, she is an expert at paperwork.

When I came to the US thirteen years ago, I worked in restaurants as a server, handled banquets, and worked in a coffee shop. I just wasn’t sure what I wanted to do ultimately, but I felt certain it would be in the food service industry. I really had to learn how Americans eat, as it’s quite different from the French. Also, I knew I did not want a full-service restaurant; instead, I envisioned something more on the fast-casual side, with a grab-and-go element that fits with the current time period and tastes. Immediately when I thought of that concept, my mind went to crêpes, as they are an on-the-go favorite in France. As a business school graduate and a self-taught chef, I started out with some serious testing, studying, and financial projections.

We ended up opening in Worcester in the middle of the pandemic, which was really terrifying—we’d put our savings into it and had no idea what would happen. We just started to work really hard on our marketing and products, which included macarons and Julia Child-inspired, pre-made meals to go, along with our crêpes. We wanted to offer staples—such as Beef Bourguignon—that people would love and could be refrigerated or frozen to eat immediately or at another time.

When it came to opening a second location in Thornes, we had to do some studying and really consider how we could make it work, given that I was already working long hours at the Worcester cafe.  That said, we felt like it could be feasible given how small we are—it was just a matter of careful planning and organizing. We are thrilled to be in Northampton and to be an integral part of the Thornes community.

Thus far, what are your favorite things about owning a business in Thornes?

I have to be honest, we didn’t choose Thornes or the city—they truly chose us. We were not looking to open a second location, as we already have our Worcester cafe. Then, when Thornes approached us in a very nice way, we decided to check out the space and the area. If nothing else, we thought we’d get to visit Northampton, walk around, and have a nice meal.

We did not expect to fall in love at first sight; it immediately felt right to us, from Thornes to the downtown to the surroundings. We have both been very impressed by the foot traffic and the vibrant downtown. It feels like a community in which a lot of things are happening. We’re community people, so this really resonates with us. We see that in Worcester as well, and we’re excited to have two communities.

It’s truly magical being in Thornes—even better than what we expected. December was a really busy month, between sales and training new team members. People have been so welcoming, from business owners to employees in the building to customers.  It’s been overwhelming in such a good way, and people have expressed their pleasure at having us in Thornes.  We are just  thrilled, and we plan to be here for at least the next 10 years!

What are some exciting things about the business we can look forward to?

I am a creative person, and I always have something in my head! I started out with 250 recipes and whittled them down to 40; I’m focusing on what makes sense within the smaller new space. Quality is of the utmost importance to us, so I don’t want to add too many new items and sacrifice that.

We serve crêpes three different ways: on a plate so people can sit in the common spaces in Thornes (on all three floors), in to-go containers, and grab-and-go/street food style, which involves using a cone as a vessel for the crepe to fold into. In the summer, we’ll be testing out specials to see how that goes. We have to be mindful of limiting the number of ingredients since we are at max capacity in the space, but it’s fun to keep things interesting and fresh for our customers.

What are your current best-selling crêpes?

All variations of the Nutella crêpes are doing great, including the banana, strawberry, and combination flavors. For the savory crêpes, it’s not quite as obvious; the simple ham and cheese is doing well, along with the truffle mushroom.

And of course, we offer gluten-free, celiac-safe items. The crêpes can be made gluten-free, and macarons are naturally gluten-free. We also make the crepes to order in front of our customers, so they can feel safe knowing we are taking precautions against cross-contamination. We are also happy to offer both vegetarian and vegan options, as we know there is a real demand nowadays.

The macarons are also selling well. As for the take-home meals, it’s a slower process to get people to try them out. Once they do, however, they all return! The take-home meals are not an everyday thing for people—it’s more for a special occasion/Sunday gathering with friends, for example.