Life before Japan

My father is a pastry chef. We made dough together ever since I was a child. We even made cakes. But I never wanted to be a pastry chef. I was born in the countryside in the south of France, in the middle of nowhere. Everyone grows grapes. Around our house, there were only vineyards and cows. I dreamed of being able to speak English and see the world. I wasn’t good at much in school, except English. So, when I was 17, I went to London.

I worked in hotels in London, in Cannes when I went back to France, and then in Australia, Korea, and Canada. After that, I took a road trip from Seattle to Mexico. Then I came to Iizuka City. I couldn't speak Japanese, but I wanted to make friends and talk to people. I felt a bit lonely at times.

Piping hot pizza in Iizuka City

I went to the Yamakasa festival in Iizuka. Everyone looked so cool. I'm tall, so they told me to go to the front of the float. The front is really scary (laughs). I took part in that festival for about four years, and last year, I went to the festival area with my food truck. I barbecued with the Yamakasa members, and made pizza for them.

Up until then, I had done a lot of different jobs in Iizuka. I worked really hard but every day was so stressful. It was really tough. I was sad every day and so unmotivated. I thought to myself, I can't do a job I don't like anymore. I just can't.

I wondered what to do. I love making dough, so a pizzeria seemed perfect. I took a part-time job at a pizzeria in Hakata to learn the ropes. I started out washing dishes, and they told me that if I worked hard for two or three years, they would teach me all about the business. I thought, hmm, so this is how it works in Japan. It’s probably the same in France too. But I wasn’t young anymore, I couldn’t wait that long. And, around that time, I also had a child. A son.

So, I went to another pizzeria, a tiny place where I only made pizza. Pizza, pizza, pizza from morning till night. I rode my motorbike to work every day. On snowy days, it was really cold (laughs). I’d ride my bike over the mountains and go home at night. I’d then watch the actual techniques being used in new-style pizzerias in Europe on Instagram, and I practiced, practiced, practiced.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, I’d put the finishing touches on my food truck. The food truck was built by a friend of mine who owns a car shop. He’s the top person in Iizuka’s Yamakasa festival, the boss of the “kakiyama” (smaller, portable floats). I told him that I wanted to design a food truck and needed his help (laughs). It took about a year and was a bit complicated. I wanted one entire side to be made out of glass so that people could see me making pizza from outside. There were so many things I didn't know. Everyone—my friend from the car shop, the carpenter, the electrician—wracked their brains for ideas on what to do. They were all from Iizuka, members of the same Yamakasa group. Good people. Warm-hearted people. People in Iizuka are very close. When someone’s in trouble, everyone comes together to help. I appreciate them so much.

Tranquil moments

I enjoy life now. I work at my own pace, making dough in the morning and then driving around to sell what’s on that day’s menu. Customers, young and old, stop by after seeing my Instagram account and then come back again because they liked the food. That's the best part. I'm so grateful.

My dough is incredibly soft and fluffy. I think I might be the only one who makes pizza contemporanea (contemporary Neapolitan pizza) in Japan. It can be tricky to bake because of the high moisture content. Pizzerias in Tokyo and Osaka have even asked me to teach them the recipe. It makes me very happy.

Before I got divorced, I spoke English at home every day with my ex-wife. But running a food truck is challenging if you don't speak Japanese. I don't like to study, but I picked up the language quickly. Everyone was surprised. They would ask me if I could speak Japanese. Shaberu-cha, daijobu-cha! (Yes, no problem!) (laughs)

For breakfast, I have cereal and milk. If I have leftover dough from the day before, I bake bread. I don’t sell it, but it tastes amazing. After I finish the day’s prep, I head to the park (Kasagi Dam Park) and walk for about an hour. It helps me relax. On my days off, I like to relax in quiet places. There are nice spots for moments like this around my house. I also like to garden and grow tomatoes and basil for my pizzas.

Everyone asks why I don't go back to France now that I’m divorced. But I think it’s tough for a child not to have both parents nearby when they’re small. It’s important for families to be together. Even though my son’s mother and I are not married anymore, I’m still his dad and should be close by. This is why I work hard doing my best in Iizuka.