From cronuts to crookies, we keep falling in love with new twists on the croissant. Classically-trained pastry chef Andy Voice knows why, because he heads up bakery development at Sodexo UK & Ireland. He explains why this culinary icon is here to stay, how he keeps track of the trends, and why we should all keep our eye on the humble cinnamon bun…
As a development chef working in pastry, I taste test delicious creations all the time, but a well-made croissant is right up there for me. They’ve spent more than 100 years on breakfast tables and they’re still inspiring innovation today.
We’ve got giant ones, flat ones and rolled ones, in all kinds of flavours, savoury and sweet. We started with the cronut, moved on to the cruffin and this year – after its Parisian creator went viral on TikTok – we have the crookie. Croissants are most definitely ‘in’.
My job is to bring the best of bakery to our guests, so as well as developing our own take on the trends, I’ll be poring over the latest consumer research. I also keep up with social media and review the croissant-related content I get from my kids. It might be a professional or a novice chef attempting ‘Le New York Roll’, but you can see straight away if the pastry is perfect. Sometimes, it looks like style over substance.
Whether it’s pastries or cakes, visual appeal must combine with flavour and feel. Does it have that melt-in-the-mouth sensation that makes you want to stand still for a minute? If not, it’s not good enough. When I’m looking at what’s new in high street bakeries, I always order the same three things. A plain croissant, just because. Then their top-selling cake. Then finally, the server’s personal recommendation. When server after server starts suggesting the same thing, you know you’ve got a trend on your hands.
For a company like Sodexo, serving thousands of people every day, only the very best recipes make the cut. They need to meet the moment, to deliver on taste, look and feel, and be crafted to the same high standards as they would in the kitchens of a London law firm or the dining room of an Officers' Mess. Our team might set the agenda, but it’s our front-line chefs that put these delights on a plate.
They know what works for their clients, so they pick the recipes that suit their sites best. We’re also helping them to deliver the flavour profiles their guests want without just adding branded confectionary to it. It’s much more fun to do it from scratch.
Sustainable food plays a key role in Sodexo’s journey to net zero 2040, and this commitment extends to our bakery offerings. We’re incorporating Future 50 ingredients where we can, integrating flours from regenerative farms and making the best use of abundant ingredients.
We treated colleagues to some seasonal delights at our recent food showcase, and they went down a storm. Our pumpkin cake was popular, as was the greengrocer’s cake made with carrots, courgettes, seeds and dried fruits. For the chocolate lovers, we served slices of our new cookie pie.
I’m really excited about the future, because our chefs are full of new ideas. They’re also good at thinking up pastry treats that meet people’s dietary preferences and celebrate what’s in it, not what’s been left out.
What do I think is the next croissant?
I think France might have to share some of the limelight with Sweden, because cinnamon buns are on the rise. We’re seeing pumpkin ones, berry ones, salted caramel, red velvet and even maple bacon. One thing I’m certain about is that our taste tests are going to be great.
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