Behind the Name
Le Bánh Patisserie combines Pastry Chef Kim Hoàng Wood’s Vietnamese heritage with her French pastry background. Bánh, meaning cake in Vietnamese, and Patisserie, meaning bakery in French, le Bánh Patisserie aims to marry both of Chef Wood’s loves, her culture and culinary arts. Chef Wood prides herself on her ability to craft fun, exquisite, and beautiful desserts using only the finest, locally sourced organic ingredients. Kim is taking the best ingredients and the freshest fruits and creating for her community classic European styled treats that are balanced in contrasts of flavor and texture, low in sugar, without additives, and most importantly, can bring people together. Bringing a new gastronomical experience to Connecticut, Kim’s little masterpieces are sure to incite passion and enjoyment with every bite.
It all started with a passion for pastries.
Pastry Chef Kim Hoàng Wood was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the United States when she was three years old with her parents and five siblings. Making a new home in Fort Worth, TX, Chef Wood was exposed to many people and cultures. With big dreams to chase, Kim pursued a degree in business at the University of Oklahoma (Boomer Sooner!), where she discovered that her true passion lay in the culinary arts. After obtaining her degree in business, Kim enrolled in the Art Institute of Houston, where she studied the art of baking and conquer French pastries. She later went on to learn under Executive French Pastry Chef Frédéric Larre, a member of the Académie Culinaire de France, who helped her further hone her skills in French pastries.
Having mastered her craft, Kim went on to work as a Pastry Sous Chef for the Headquarters of Exxon Mobil in Houston, and eventually moved to the Farmington Valley, where she became the Pastry Sous Chef at Foxwoods Resort and Casino. In Connecticut, she fell in love with the community and the availability of fresh produce from local farmers, in her own backyard. She has now endeavored on her life’s dream, owning her own bakery, where she can offer her community fresh, delicious, and quality desserts that they can feel good about sharing with their families. She lives in Simsbury with her husband, one-year-old son, and her German Shepherd/Corgi Buster.