Meet the pastry chef at Interim Restaurant
Those who have tasted his desserts will find it no surprise that the story of how Franck Oysel landed in Memphis begins with French pastries.
“My wife, Hanna, who is originally from Memphis, taught English in France after college and volunteered at the pastry shop where I worked,” Oysel said. “We fell in love, and I moved to Memphis to be with her five years ago.”
While in France, Oysel taught his future wife how to make French pastries in exchange for English lessons.
It’s a fairy tale story that brought a talented pastry chef to Memphis.
Oysel grew up in a small town in the Jura region of France, which is on the border of Switzerland near Geneva.
“My town is known for Comté cheese and La Vache qui Rit (The Laughing Cow),” he said. “I am also quite close to the Burgundy wine region, which happens to be some of my favorite red wine.”
Oysel had wanted to be a pastry chef since childhood. “Ever since I was about 8 years old due to the influence of my father, who is a chef,” he said.
Today, he is the executive pastry chef at Interim Restaurant. Every day, he creates French pastries and freshly baked breads for the restaurant. It should be noted, his pastries are not only delicious, but works of art.
This busy chef took some time out of his baking to answer a few questions.
Q: How did you get into the food business?
A: In France, you choose a career path when you are in middle school and due to my early exposure to culinary techniques at home, I was drawn to the patisserie craft that mixed both artistry and cuisine.
Thus, when I was 14 years old, I started working in the French pastry kitchens learning from Master Chefs as well as regional chefs. I focused on the art of patisserie.
Q: What is your first food memory? A: Making a Croque en Bouche (essentially a cream puff tower) with my father at the age of 10 years old. It was magic.
Q: Who taught you to bake?
A: My father along with the Master Chefs that I had apprenticeships with in France.
Q: What items are always in your refrigerator?
A: Eggs, mustard, milk, European butter, fresh fruit and local vegetables, and French cheese — always cheese!
Q: What is your dream guest list of three people for a dinner party?
A: First, my parents as they are far away and I miss them dearly. Also, Stéphane Klein as he is a world-renowned sugar artist. And my best friend in France as he is a fellow chef and passionate about good wine and food.
Q: What is your favorite food? A: Raclette with saucisse de Morteau (a regional specialty of the Jura) with baby potatoes paired with either Vin Jaune or a Burgundy red wine.
Q: If customers could only try one sweet treat at Interim, what dish
The Weekly Dish
At a glance
Hours: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. for lunch Monday-friday; opens 5 p.m. for dinner daily; 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. for Sunday brunch
Online: interim restaurant.com would you recommend?
A: The Opera Cake, which happens to be my wife’s absolute favorite. It is a delightfully decadent dessert made of chocolate cake, coffee buttercream and chocolate ganache. You will want to call ahead and make sure it is on the menu as it is a seasonal item in the fall and winter.
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler @commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.
Interim Restaurant
Where: 5040 Sanderlin Ave.
Phone: (901) 818-0821