RECI PES
THE FATHER-AND-SON TEAM BEHIND AMELIE TELL US ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS AND SHARE SOME FAVOURITE RECIPES
ince opening in the summer of 2018, Amélie has established itself
as a firm favourite for foodies across Cambridge. Part of The Grafton’s Food Social concept, this cheerful cafe specialises in flammekueche, a rectangular, pizza-like delicacy with a thin and crispy base that comes with all kinds delicious toppings. “It’s the speciality dish of the Alsace region of France,” explains owner and chef Regis Crepy, who runs Amélie with his son, Alex. “It dates back to the 14th century, when the bakers used to test the temperature of their ovens with a thinly stretched piece of dough: if the temperature was right, the dough would bake in a few minutes, leaving the edges crisp and slightly charred. Today, this light dough is spread with crème fraiche and topped with sliced onions, smoked bacon and gruyère cheese. At Amélie, we put our own, modern take on this classic, with topping combinations of quality ingredients that are cooked quickly at a high heat for just 90 seconds, retaining the freshness of the produce.” Remarkably, Amélie was the very first restaurant in the whole of the UK to focus on flammekueche, though it’s a different story on the continent, where it’s a hugely popular dish. “It’s still to really arrive and take off here – and it will,” says Regis. “It’s a light dish, very versatile, caters for all diets, it’s delicious and one that won’t go
I had to give up everything and start again, but so strongly do I believe this new concept is the fast food of the future. Happily, the timing fitted in with my son Alex, who also was looking to make his mark on the industry, and we’re both relishing the challenge of promoting something quite new.” When it came to choosing a location, The Grafton appealed due to its wide demographic and high footfall, which allowed the team to introduce flammekueche to as many ages, nationalities and occupations as possible. “Initially, we had no idea whether the concept would be accepted. We know the food is good, but it’s a not a name that trips off the tongue and people think it’s pizza. It was an instant hit – way beyond our expectations, customers love it and we’re proud to have won national awards and been in the top three Tripadvisor places to eat in Cambridgeshire since we opened. We’re optimistic!” amelierestaurants.co.uk
out of fashion. After all, it has been around for 600 years!” Before introducing this indulgent delicacy to hungry shoppers at The Grafton, Regis had been a chef for nearly 40 years and run top-end restaurants including The Great House at Lavenham. The idea behind Amélie was to step away from fine dining and bring something completely fresh and forward-looking to Cambridge. “It was time to do something different and create a business that will relate to the future,” he explains. “Yes,
“Quality ingredients that are cooked quickly at a high heat, retaining the freshness”
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