On Saturday, June 22, a bakery in Middletown, upstate New York, opened its doors to much fanfare. Political figures from New York state showered praises, cut ribbons, and celebrated as over a thousand pastries and cakes at the bakery were sold out within hours of its grand opening. What makes this bakery stand out?
At noon on Saturday, “Mister Croissant Bakery & Cafe” located at 28 North Street officially opened its doors. Customers flooded in, with Middletown Mayor Joseph M. DeStefano and several city officials coming to show their support, purchasing and indulging in the fresh bakery items from their own pockets.
Congressman Pat Ryan of New York’s 18th District also arrived at the new shop in the afternoon, stepping into the kitchen to observe the making of croissants. He remarked, “We are thrilled to support such a unique business that takes 72 hours to bake a croissant, a true labor of love.”
Following suit, New York State Senator James Skoufis visited the shop with his 3-year-old daughter, buying a “Green Apple” pastry for her to enjoy.
Senator Skoufis exclaimed to the bustling crowd, “What we’re tasting here are the best quality pastries brought by Rakesh, who previously served as the head pastry chef at world-renowned hotel dining companies. We are incredibly fortunate to have him open up shop in Middletown.”
Croissant, also known as “yángjiǎo miànbāo” in mainland China and “késōng” in Taiwan, originally means crescent moon. It is a European-style bread that uses a lot of butter in baking, resulting in a flaky pastry with a rich buttery flavor, commonly found in French breakfast cuisine.
The owner and pastry chef, Rakesh Nayak, developed a new variety of croissant 4 to 5 years ago, nominated in the industry as the “best croissant” and himself as the “best pastry chef,” earning the nickname “Croissant Mister” from customers. When it came to deciding on a name for their new shop, his wife suggested the name.
Nayak, an Indian-American, previously held a position as the head pastry chef for the U.S. region at the renowned Italian hotel and leisure company, Cipriani S.A. with headquarters in Luxembourg, operating luxury restaurants and clubs worldwide, offering Italian cuisine.
Nayak explained to Dajiyuan that despite working for the Italian Cipriani, he utilizes French techniques in baking croissants. He emphasized the meticulous baking process and attention to detail of French techniques, resulting in superior product quality, aligning well with his style. For example, it takes 72 hours (3 days) to complete the process of making one croissant.
Nayak further highlighted that his new shop offers a variety of croissants, up to 15 different types, along with an array of pastries and cakes, complemented by unique coffee. The signature product of the shop is the Pistachio Croissant, a must-try pastry according to Nayak.
“Our Tiramisu here uses the authentic, classic Tiramisu recipe and method,” Nayak added.
“We treat customers following the principles of Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance,” said Nayak.
With his daughter attending school in Middletown, Nayak and his entire family relocated to upstate New York. He expressed his satisfaction with the location of his shop, stating, “Middletown is a very special place, nestled in the beautiful Orange County, upstate New York, and North Street is the bustling area of Middletown.”
“We currently don’t have such high-end pastry shops in Middletown. The pastries here are of the quality you would find in France, Manhattan, Boston, or London,” Nayak concluded.
On the grand opening afternoon at “Mister Croissant Bakery & Cafe,” a long queue of customers awaited the freshly baked croissants and cakes. The PR department of the shop continuously updated the latest news:
“Within the first hour of opening, 450 croissants were sold.”
“They have even sold out all items prepared to be shelved for tomorrow, Sunday.”
“Mister Croissant and his team are currently preparing more for all customers!”
“Update: Mister Croissant’s 600 croissants for today have all been sold out (including the extra ones he made).”
“Mister Croissant confirms: over 1000 pastries and cakes have been completely sold out today.”
Caroline, working for a government department in Australia, visited Middletown with her son Olivier for vacation. After tasting the Strawberry Cheesecake, she exclaimed, “This is without a doubt the best cake I have ever tasted in Middletown. I’ve never had this kind of cake before; it’s truly exceptional! Top-notch quality!”
Olivier, with half-French heritage, praised, “The croissants here are amazing, reminding me of my croissant experience in Lyon, France. The iced Mocha coffee is also excellent.”
Middletown Mayor DeStefano also commended Mister Croissant’s delectable pastries, stating, “Middletown has always had good food, and Mister Croissant will only enhance that.”
“We are thrilled to see this bakery’s opening bringing a different vibe to the heart of Middletown. In recent years, more and more investments have been made in Middletown, just across from this shop, is a department store that recently opened, schools, entertainment venues, etc. We are particularly focused on public safety, doing everything possible to attract investments, leading to the prosperity of our community,” DeStefano mentioned.
DeStefano emphasized, “Our community is a whole, witnessing Middletown becoming a better city.”
Congressman Pat Ryan expressed, “We are delighted to see the addition of this delicious establishment in Middletown. The positive energy here, attracting outstanding entrepreneurs to open new businesses, is something that we are proud of. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to support such a unique business that takes 72 hours to bake a croissant.”
Reflecting on the event, Ryan said, “This truly represents the good parts of America, entrepreneurship and community collaboration. Middletown is very special; with a humble and strong leadership from Mayor DeStefano, we are seeing the direct results of the city’s development.”
“The entire Hudson River Valley is thrilled to see these developments. I bring a small certificate, but it holds a significant meaning. This is an official commendation to celebrate Mister Croissant’s shop opening,” Congressman Ryan announced, “Next week, I will spread the news in Washington, DC.”
State Senator James Skoufis stated, “We are here to support the opening of this new business. Congressman Pat Ryan also mentioned that this embodies the American dream; Mister Croissant came from India with nothing, and now he’s here opening a business…”
Senator Skoufis also presented a commendation certificate to Mister Croissant, conveying his congratulatory message. He mentioned, “What we are tasting here are the best quality pastries brought by Rakesh, who previously served as the head pastry chef at world-renowned hotel dining companies. Him opening a shop in Middletown, we are indeed lucky.”
City Councilman of Middletown’s Second District, Gerald Kleiner, stated, “Mister Croissant did a great job, and today’s opening brought in many customers. My wife couldn’t make it today, and many others haven’t had the chance yet. Luckily, they will be open from 9 am to 4 pm in the following days, and I believe it will be bustling with customers.”
Maria Bruni, Director of the Office of Economic and Community Development (OECD) at Middletown City Hall, commented, “Wish granted! Looking forward to their business’s great success.”