Olivier Lucas is half French and half Finnish. He was born and grew up in France but in 2020,
he and his family decided to move from France to Finland as Finland was simply the right country for all of them.

Olivier has a long career in the bakery industry but felt he hadn’t found a job that suited him. He is a trained pastry chef and has traveled the world, but he couldn’t find a job where he could use his skills and experience. So he decided to create one for himself.

His bakery Le Jardin was born when everything fell into place simultaneously. In the summer of 2022, the moment came when he found the space in Lauttasaari. Olivier thought that if he wanted to fulfill his dream, the moment was now.

The space has large windows, so it was a perfect space to show Finnish consumers how products are made in the bakery and pastry industry by hand. Overall, he wants to increase Finnish consumers’ awareness by operating transparently. Customers can see the entire production process through the glass, and sometimes people stop on the street to watch their team work.

Olivier also takes time to bake with the children at the French daycare because he feels they are our future. As business, Le Jardin has exceeded all his expectations.

The biggest challenge?

The paperwork associated with entrepreneurship. I sweat when I must handle that part of my job.

What do you hope for the future?

I hope to be able to take a few more days off. Baking products by hand takes time, and I also want to maintain the quality. That makes it a bit challenging.

What do you enjoy most at work?

I love making the products myself, but in the current situation, the ability to use my skills in different ways is also great: consulting and development work for companies, courses in our own space et cetera.

Best customer feedback?

The best moments are when our bakery is full of customers, people buy our products and give us a thumbs-up through the glass.

Best French pastry?

The baguette always works, and another favorite is the lemon tartelette.

How would you like to see the bakery culture change in Finland?

More small bakeries that are close to people. I don’t understand the culture where bread and pastries are bought in a bag from a big supermarket.

The strangest Finnish flavor?

Cardamom in buns. It has been difficult to explain it to my French wife and her relatives.

Lue myös: Hello, Suomi! Working in Finland: Greek waiter Christos Ghiotsis likes the straightforward culture

Lue myös: Hello, Suomi! Working in Finland: Thai chef likes experimenting with Finnish ingredients

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