About Our Shop
ABOUT US
"Les Années Folles" refers to the 1920s in France.
From the late 19th century to before World War I, the period of Paris's flourishing and brilliant prosperity and its culture was called "Belle Époque" (Beautiful Era).
In contrast, the 1920s, from after World War I until the Great Depression, was also known as the "Roaring Twenties," a vibrant and prosperous era filled with freedom and vitality, where many cultural figures such as Picasso, Cocteau, and Coco Chanel were active, and styles transitioned from classical to modern.
Pâtisserie Les Années Folles is a patisserie where pâtissier Kenichi Kikuchi expresses the tradition and innovation of various French confections under the themes of "tradition and innovation" and "retromodern."
執着
Our Commitment
Materials
materialsWe carefully select fresh fruits and produce directly from our partner farms across Japan, and we strive to create confections that highlight the unique characteristics of these ingredients.
Manufacturing method
manufacturing methodWe carefully select ingredients, using butter for its aroma, fruits at their peak ripeness, and different varieties and origins, all while employing the patissier's skill to bring out their best qualities.
Originality
Tradition and InnovationWe express our originality through French confections that reinterpret traditional sweets with a modern flair, based on the themes of "Tradition and Innovation" and "Retro Modern," as well as lavish Parisian-style decorations.
Chef
Chef
Kenichi Kikuchi
Kikuchi Kenichi
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture on December 16, 1978.
After five years of training at the famous Western confectionery shops Arpajon and Voila, he moved his career to hotels. He accumulated five years of experience at Park Hyatt Tokyo, while dedicating himself daily to various Western confectionery techniques, including competitions and desserts. He trained overseas at Grand Hyatt Singapore. He then traveled to France, where he refined his skills in entremets and assiette desserts under Jean-François Foucher at Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme. During his time in France, he won the "Gastronomique Arpajon Competition," one of France's three major competitions.
He returned to Japan in January 2009. From that year until March 2012, he served as the head pastry chef at Gâteau Naturel Shu in Jiyugaoka, Tokyo, while also expanding his work as a pastry chef through personal endeavors such as teaching at confectionery schools and serving as an advisor for confectionery-related companies.
From April to June 2012, prior to opening his own business, he traveled to Paris, France, to study under the top pastry chef Sébastien Gaudard, whose confectionery had long impressed him. This was a moment when his desire to create retro-modern confections, which he truly wished to make, became even clearer as he reconfirmed Gaudard's style, which had shifted from modern to classic.
In November 2012, he opened his own patisserie, "Les Années Folles," in Ebisu, Shibuya Ward. In April 2018, he opened a second "Les Années Folles" store in Arai, Nakano Ward. In addition, since 2016, he has been expanding his range of activities beyond daily store confectionery making to include serving as a technical instructor for the Tokyo Confectionery Association, a PCG editorial committee member for the All Japan Confectionery Industry Association, a lecturer for professional workshops, a school instructor, a corporate advisor, catering, and department store events.
Awards
2023 Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie Japan Preliminaries - 3rd Place
2008 Concours Charles Proust, France - Finalist
2008 Concours Gastronomique d'Arpajon, France - 1st Place
2007 American Honey Dessert Competition - Category Excellence Award
2006 Bean Dessert Competition - Gold Prize
2006 Utsumi Cup Competition - Gold Prize
2006 Japan Cake Show Tokyo - Large Confectionery Artistry Division - Federation Chairman's Award (1st Place)
2003 Utsumi Cup Jr. Competition - Gold Prize
And many others
Media coverage
2021-2025: Judge for TBS "Love It!" sweets ranking
December 2024: Shortcake on TBS "Banana Sand"
November 2020: Appeared in PR for Tochigi Prefecture agricultural products
October 2020: Featured in Yomiuri Junior and Senior High School Newspaper "Shigotobito"
July 2020: "Millennium Sweet Heritage" on NTV "Bagutte"
October 12, 2019: Judge for Seven-Eleven sweets on TBS "Job Tune"
September 28, 2019: TV Tokyo "Shutsubotsu!! Admatic Tengoku"
February 29, 2019: Judge for Cozy Corner on TBS "Job Tune"
2019: Appeared on NHK "Classic Ongakukan"
Other
Tokyo Metro Free Paper
Danball One
Aeon Group Christmas Cake Supervision
Azumino Foods Coffee Jelly CM
And many more
Affiliation
2022 Les Amis de Curnonsky Member
2021 Académie Culinaire de France Member
2020 Club Prosper Montagné Member
2016 Tokyo Confectionery Association Technical Instructor
2016 All Japan Confectionery Industrial Association PCG Editorial Board Member, Deputy Secretary-General
PRODUCTION
We also accept requests for production work.
Please contact us via the inquiry form.
Recipe development/consulting contracts
Workshop requests
Product production/product development/supervision
Promotional item production
Technical guidance, etc.