Maman French Bakery Debuts in Wynwood This Week

Immersing Miami in the ambiance and flavors of southern France, Maman brings its distinctive bakery and café appeal to Wynwood, driven by the culinary prowess of the power couple, Elisa Marshall and Benjamin Sormonte. Initially taking root in Manhattan’s SoHo district in 2014, Maman has now bloomed into a reputable, all-day café with a network of more than 30 locations sprinkled across Manhattan, D.C., and Philadelphia. With the inauguration of its Wynwood flagship location on February 9, Maman dives into a project of opening up six more venues across Miami in the forthcoming year.
In this new bakery encompassed by natural wood shades and lush greenery, Marshall recounts the decade-long journey since its inception, stating that the name Maman, which translates to ‘mother’ in French, is their tribute to the empowering maternal figures who had significant influences on their lives and kitchen stories. Founded on the premise of constructing a welcoming territory that echoes home, they have intertwined the enchanting allure of southern France with North American culture. Marshall emphasizes the purposeful design of a comforting space steering clear of the typically Parisian stereotype and endeavoring to create a unique amalgamation.
Marshall and Sormonte, both self-taught chefs, continue to be deeply involved in curating the eatery’s offerings. They work closely with their chief pastry chef, Jean Louis Berthet, imbibing conventional French techniques into a North American taste spectrum. The menu they present glorifies both the lighter alternatives and gratifying indulgences, housing time-honored, vegan, and gluten-free baked items, salads, sandwiches, among others, thus depicting their intention of proffering an assortment of gastronomic experiences.
They aim to remain faithful to the core essence of Maman even in its Miami extension, as they don’t aspire to be excessively modish or health-focused. They call forth a vision of savoring a vibrant, delicious salad in one hand juxtaposed with a warm cookie in the other. Speaking of cookies, Maman’s renowned nutty chocolate chip cookie has been one of Oprah’s favorite things. This sumptuous buttery delight with a brown sugar base caramelizes to a crisp in the oven, stuffed generously with whole macadamia nuts, pecans, almond bits for a pleasing crunch, harmonized by chunks of melting chocolate throughout the baking journey, resulting in a cookie that marries gooey, crispy, and melting textures to a treat of balanced tastes.
Exclusively for Miami, new delicacies include a croissant filled with fresh guava purée, topped with seasonal fruit, and the French-American fusion of crème fraîche pancakes with dense, fluffy discs adorned with a pretzel crumble and sweet basil sauce. When choosing Miami for their expansion, it was important that the city echoed the dynamic cultural diversity and appreciation for French cuisine found in New York. They look forward to developing a synergy with the new audience that had a recent influx of New Yorkers. Their strategy to blend seamlessly into the Magic City ecosystem is hinged upon fostering community collaborations, getting involved with locals, partnering with local chefs, candle makers, and beverage producers for distinctive Miami specials. Florida’s natural beauty has also found its expression in the café’s interior decor with seashells turned into concrete lamps and Banyan-tree-inspired decorations along with other beach-themed embellishments. The Wynwood Maman offers weekday counter service, weekend full table service, along with an assortment of beer, wine, and cocktails. For those unable to visit the café, they also offer delivery services through their app and Uber Eats. They’re looking forward to sharing those famous cookies with Miami.
Maman. 51 NW 26th St., Miami; mamannyc.com. This story was first posted on February 6.