Meet Jacqueline Naker and Hélène Thierry, 2 close friends, neighbors and business partners for a while!
Walking around Sukhumvit Road is always a kind of adventure. It seems to be changing day by day, old buildings are disappearing and new ones are rising. Bars, restaurants, clubs, cafes, etc. are springing up like mushrooms. During my daily walks, I noticed that the upper part of Sukhumvit soi 11, has become a very busy part of the Sukhumvit area.
It is here, on soi 11, that you will find the French café opened by Hélène and Jacqueline called CHEZ NL HOMEMADE.
It’s a bright little place to stop and sit and enjoy the breakfast you didn’t have time for at home, or just grab a coffee and a freshly baked croissant, or a sandwich healthy on the way to work if you happen to be late.
The creative Hélène of French origin, you will find her especially in the kitchen, focused on baking the most delicious bread or preparing the three best-selling pastries of coffee, macaroons, lemon merinque tart or a brittle millefeuille. They all both look and taste delicious.
Jacqueline is to be found absolutely everywhere, whether she bends her head over bills or designing menus or behind the desk.
These two women are undergoing hotel training in Switzerland and France.
After living in Bangkok for several years, busy with children, school affairs, etc., they dreamed of a project of their own, something that would challenge them and give them pleasure.
Since they are both good friends and neighbors, they often come to see each other for coffee or a glass of wine and to brainstorm. As they carried the same dream of starting a project, a plan began to form.
Jacqueline spent three years in Crans Montana, Switzerland, where she studied and worked in hotels, doing everything from housekeeping and reception, to sales and public relations, to name a few. some of all his tasks. She even did an internship in the kitchen to prepare meals.
Her studies later took her to London and a job at the RATHBONE HOTEL, a small hotel in the heart of London, and later she joined the ACCOR group, for which she was part of the pre-opening to open two hotels. , Mercure London City Bankside and Novotel London Greenwich in South East London.
When her husband, who also works in the hotel business, was offered a job in Bangkok, she followed him. She says she was happy to return to Asia where she has roots and soul.
Hélène worked in a Michelin-starred Michelene restaurant in France before moving to Hong Kong with her husband in 2005, then to Bangkok in 2013. She had stayed at home, taking care of the family’s young children, but was eager to return to work . With this, Helene started her own small home business with “LN loves cakes” and started baking and selling all her favorite desserts, breads and cakes.
On Hélène’s paternal side, they ran a bakery, and on her mother’s side, they ran a pastry shop.
You can say, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Pastry is always in the family. Once, Hélène was asked what kind of job she would like to have, and without hesitation, she replied that she wanted to do baking, because she really loves baking.
.
Today, his dream has come true. The products are chosen with care. They only use real butter, no margarine and the vegetables arrive from Chiang Mai every Wednesday and of course some are organic
Currently seven people work at LN HOMEMADE, three in the kitchen and four in front. The cafe is open from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., but opening hours will change in the near future to 7:00 a.m. until at least midnight.
“So many bars, restaurants and clubs are around us and we will try to catch people after their late night activities on their way home. At the moment, the BOBO, a discotheque, a restaurant etc. is under construction and will be the neighbor of Chez LN HOMEMADE*, says Hélène.
At LN HOMEMADE people come mainly between 11 am and 2 pm and from 4 pm. Many of their customers show up for takeout.
Hélène and Jacqueline have seen a change among the hospitality people. Many have realized how exposed their work is when it comes to, for example, a pandemic like Covid. “This Covid has really changed the lives of many people” says Jacqueline and Hélène agrees.
They don’t stick under the chair to explain how vulnerable people are in this branch.
“It was not easy for us to find and hire Thai staff,” explains Helene. Many people during Covid have come to change their minds about their work situation and may be considering going down a new path, moving to less vulnerable work. This is also noticeable in Europe.
“Chez LN HOMEMADE opened its doors on August 11, 2022 and we are here to stay or at least we hope so”, declare the two women.
Don’t hesitate to drop by, whether it’s for breakfast, a light lunch or a nightcap or to go. Chez NL HOMEMADE has alcohol rights and can serve you a cold beer or a good wine to quench your thirst.
You are all welcome Helene and Jacqueline say with a bright smile!
Comments are closed.