Toulouse. From starred restaurants, two best friends open a sandwich shop in town
By Quentin Marais
Published on
They are named Gregory and Matthew, are 26 years old, come from Toulouse, and are best friends. The duo was made to last, and fate kept its word. Since Wednesday, September 14, 2022, they have been at the head of the sandwich shop Greg’s, at 8 rue Saint-Jérôme, in the Pink City. Their city. The one they found after a starry journey.
From starred restaurants
If many common points bind the two men, their course is however different. Grégoire quickly gained access to the premises of Ferrandi, French school of gastronomy in Bordeaux. “It’s a restaurant bachelor, in 3 years, which gives us the basics of entrepreneurship within a restaurant. »
Quickly, the experience with a capital E is garnered. “I worked for more than a year with chef Michel Guérard, in the Landes, which has three stars Michelin. He then passes through the doors of Evian Resort, star once againbefore working alongside a new nugget of French gastronomy: “Mohamed Sheikh, winner of Top Chef 2021, and it was in a pop-up restaurant in Paris which worked extremely well”.
On the other hand, Matthieu followed a completely opposite course: “I was in law, and I stopped in Master’s degree in notarial law. I turned to pastry”. If he completed a season at the Palace of Versailles, it was above all with Hedone, Michelin-starred restaurant in Toulouse, let it spread its wings. “I had creative freedom when it came to desserts. At one point, I was also creating individual cakes, where I sold cake for individuals, on my own account. »
Time to get together
The year 2022 was then that of a take-off for two. “I felt the urge to open something. Bachelor Ferrandi had given me all arms to open”, estimates Grégoire, also passed by Martinique… just before the first confinement, in 2020. But it is here that everything is integrated. ” I have all my family and my friends in Toulouse“, continues Matthew.
After two months of work, “Greg’s” therefore took over from Sunset Coffee, with an opening on Wednesday September 14, 2022. “Everything was made of wood, in a chalet atmosphere. On a broken whole, everything redone from floor to ceiling. Now, it’s something that corresponds to us more or less, ”savors Grégoire. Who did not fail to highlight the support of Toulouse artists Packed up and Psena, for decoration.
Successful experience
When discussing his plan of attack, Grégoire draws on his years of experience. “I wanted to use all the techniques that I had seen in starred restaurants, especially sous vide cooking, he explains. For once, on two sandwiches where we use it. So far, there are four in all. “We are going to add two, because we have the impression that customers want to have more choices. »
“We are on a sandwich that weighs 350 g. I wanted to take up the spirit of a Dagwood, it’s a multi-layered sandwich that appeared in the 60s. The goal of the game is to see all the canapes: whether it’s my meat, all the little sauces, raw vegetables, salads, tomatoes, we’re on something quite big. It’s consistent! And we’re on breads that are with a leaven mass , so very greasy. We’re also going to have baguette, Viennese bread with trout…”
And he’s already giving hints about the next sandwich. ” It’s a tataki of beef marinated, teriyaki sauce. We are on the job. “The duo also offers the dish of the week which, currently, is a “pavement of butternut squash, it is also vacuum cooking. There is an evolution until the following Wednesday. We taste, we try to find the cook side, to be thoughtful all the time, in something new. »
Occitania in the heart
But the duo is above all trying to remember a crucial parameter: ” we are in the test phase, in the middle of breaking in, but with products that are worth it. We challenge ourselves, until we have our fixed products”. And these products highlight their love for their native region. ” All products are sourced. In the flavor of the vegetables, the salad, the tomatoes and even the small sauces, we feel that we are really on a different sandwich from classic bakeries”, reveals Grégoire.
At Greg’s, it is also possible to taste yoghurts and mousses, from the Farm in the Pyrenees. And Grégoire adds: “we will soon have our own honey, because Matthieu’s dad is a beekeeper in Montastruc-la-Conseillère”. The cookies offered by the two best friends were particularly successful: “they went off at an impressive speed”.
“We try to create, do what we like, according to the seasons, the products, the arrivals, keep the pleasure and make people discover flavors. For example, I am doing tests on a rice pudding with citrus fruits. It’s not common. But we try, and it’s the very principle of the cook: to have fun, even if it doesn’t necessarily stay in the window, but to do things that change to show people what the on the know-how.”
Thrown into the deep end!
Since September 14, it is therefore at 8 rue Saint-Jérôme, near the Espace Saint-Georges, that the two Toulousains are thrown into the deep end. Their enclosure can accommodate six people indoors and as many outdoors. From Thursday, September 29, 2022, the restaurant, which also does “take-out”, will be available on Deliveroo. “We launch ourselves in front of the lion. We hope to get out“, Grégoire smiles.
Greg’s Sandwich Shop
8 rue Saint-Jerome, Toulouse
Open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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