bake - November/December 2023 - 14

A WEALTH OF TRAINING
Canonne was born and raised in Normandy, France. His training
began at the Culinary School of Rouen in Normandy when
he was 15. He had a culinary apprenticeship at the School of
Hospitality and Hotel Management in Rouen, followed by a pastry
apprenticeship under chef Gaston Lenôtre.
Canonne has worked at a variety of fine dining restaurants
and luxury hotels, including three-star Michelin restaurants;
the Pré Catelan in Paris and the Côte Saint Jacques in Burgundy,
France; the Beau-Rivage Palace in Geneva; the Euler
Palace Hotel in Basel, Switzerland; and the Palais de l'Elysée in
Paris for French president François Mitterrand. He moved to the
United States in 1991, becoming the executive pastry chef at the
Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Chicago.
In 2004, Canonne earned the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de
France, the highest distinction for an artisan in France. He was
the first pastry chef living in the United States to be awarded the
honor.
From 1995 to 2020, Canonne and fellow master pastry chef
Jacquy Pfeiffer operated the French Pastry School in Chicago, a
vocational secondary school to teach traditional French pastry.
In 2020, Canonne launched an online video series of classes
called The Butter Book. In 2022, Canonne and several partners
co-founded EQUII, a food technology company. The company
aims to produce high-protein, low-carbohydrate flour.
would have happened if I had not been afraid of crossing
paths and focusing on nutrition and sustainability.
At EQUII, our team of chefs and scientists want to
disrupt the everyday pantry staples with a highly nutritional
and digestible complete protein. One that would
help establish a food system that is healthier, delicious,
14 < NOV-DEC 2023 | bakemag.com
and sustainable. Our protein contains the 9 essential
amino acids our body needs to maintain healthy tissues,
organs, and muscles. In addition, during the fermentation
process of the protein making, the microorganisms
feed on starch, depleting its carbs content.
This year, EQUII launched its first line of product, a
complete protein/low carbs line of breads with good
sources of protein and fiber claims for retail and foodservice
and was awarded the coveted Food and Beverage
Innovation Award by the National Restaurant Association
in May. The consumer understands the importance and
balance of macronutrients. The right amount and kinds
of proteins, carbs, and fats. Accordingly, I think that
the consumer will favor plant-based, complete protein,
complex carbs, and unsaturated fats. I also believe that
they will increasingly buy more clean labels, non-GMO,
low ingredient count, and chef-crafted tasty kinds of
food products.
bake: On the consumer front, we are seeing increased
demand for " hybrid " bakery products that combine traditional
pastry with new twists (the cronut, for example).
What can we learn from this ongoing development and
how do pastry professionals innovate in the field of new
product development while holding on to time-tested
production methods?
Canonne: That is a very good question. One that chefs
and innovators should really think about in their quest
to find the next big innovative product. I have been
EQUII
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bake - November/December 2023

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