In a heavy French accent, Pierre Cabuzel describes how he creates crêpes for guests who visit his restaurant. “I make the big crêpes — not those little ones,’’ Cabuzel said as he showed off his two large crêpe makers from France. “I do it the way you do in France — the real way,” he added.
Using a stovetop pan to cook crêpes makes them “too small and too heavy,’’ he said as he pointed out that the crêpe originated in Brittany, France.The 67-year-old pastry chef uses authentic wooden tools to butter the crêpe maker and to take off the crêpes.
It’s why customers of Chez Pierre’s Crêperie, located at 246 Pomeroy St. in Crystal Lake, come back over and over again.
Unusual fillings, like curry rice and salmon with a white wine sauce and a pizza crêpe with mozzarella and provolone cheeses, marinara sauce, tomatoes and mushrooms, pique customers’ appetites and their curiosity, leaving them wondering what else he’ll create. And if they have a special request, Cabuzel will do his best to create it.
“I say give me three or four days to buy the stuff and come back and I’ll make it,’’ he said matter-of-factly.
Dessert crêpes, including butter and sugar, fresh fruit, banana and chocolate are also on the menu. “Now I do crème brûlée, because everybody asked me to do that,” he said.
Cabuzel offers five-course meals, which include soup, salad, an entree crêpe, dessert crêpe and ice cream. Customers can also add an ingredient to their crêpe for $1.
Bottles of Lorina Sparkling French Lemonade and Orangina — a French sparkling citrus drink — are found in the drink cooler. He also makes his own French vinaigrette dressing that he serves and sells at his restaurant.
With French posters and plates covering the walls, like one from the Vatel Club du Midwest — a French chef’s club in Chicago — and tabletops lined in French restaurant menus, French stamps and pictures of Paris, the atmosphere takes customers to a French café without leaving home.
Training With the Best
When he was a newcomer in the French pastry business, Cabuzel found himself working for a number of restaurants, never having planned on a career as a pastry chef.
“I have no clue why I started in this,’’ Cabuzel said. “At age 15, I started as a mechanic. But my mother hated it — she said ‘no way.’ So I stopped to do an apprenticeship in a pastry shop.’’
By 1968, at the age of 26, with years of experience behind him, he came to Manhattan to work in Lutèce, “one of the best restaurants,’’ he said.
A Home in Crystal Lake
After Cabuzel’s stint in New York, he moved to Dundee, Ill., where he owned Café de Louvre, describing it as a “fancy French restaurant.’’
In 1991, he opened La Bemi, near the Metra station in downtown Crystal Lake, then moved to Phoenix a few years later to run a restaurant there before moving back to Crystal Lake where he’s run the crêperie for about seven years.
“I tried to slow down a little,’’ he said of opening up the smaller, quaint crêpe restaurant. “I found this little spot here, and I said this would be good.’’
Word of Mouth
Located in a small, white-brick building on the edge of Crystal Lake’s main commercial strip on Route 14, Cabuzel relies on repeat customers and word of mouth to draw business.
“It’s a little tough right now, [especially lunchtime],’’ he said of the economy affecting business.
Keeping the traditions of his French heritage alive, Cabuzel celebrates Beaujolais Nouveau at the restaurant each November with a four-course meal. He also celebrates Bastille Day annually at the restaurant and is open Mother’s Day Sunday with specialty crêpes served.
Chez Pierre’s Crêperie is open from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. until about 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The crêperie is closed Sunday and Monday.
>> For more, call 815-444-6180.
