Croissants are a way of life
Cal Jan in Tarragona blends tradition and innovation with award-winning pastries. Discover its artisan chocolate panettone and bold new treats.
In the world of pâtisserie, tradition and innovation both vie for attention. The rapid evolution that is taking place in baking makes it possible to improve established traditions, and the interest among consumers for quality allows for new strategies. From small tweaks with ingredients to bold novel strategies. Cal Jan, a pâtisserie in Tarragona near Barcelona, Spain, stands at the intersection of this exciting development, fusing past and future into high-quality pastries that are the talk of the town. In 2021, its panettone won the Award for the best Artisan Chocolate Panettone in Spain. Cal Jan also won the Cocoa Fava Prize in 2020 through 2022.
Cal Jan currently operates two pastry shops. One in Tarragona and one in nearby Torredembarra. The pastry bakery combines sweet and savory pastries and even serves pizza. ‘I started this pâtisserie 15 years ago, almost by mistake’, explains Rafel Aguilera Orpinell. ‘While I studied special education and sign language, my brother started working in a pastry shop as there was no money for his music education. I joined my brother and liked making pastries so much that I decided to study at the famous Hofmann pâtisserie in Barcelona. After completing my education in 2016, I took over from my brother, who had started his own pâtisserie, Cal Jan, named after the popular name our family was known by in this town.
The name is well-known and evokes memories of local traditions. I was joined by my brother Adrià Aguilera Magriña, who became a panettone specialist, and Magí Rovira Copons who specializes in chocolate creations.’ In a time when pâtisseries around Spain are closing their doors, Cal Jan is led by a young, vibrant, first generation team that garners a lot of interest in the local community. ‘The younger generation in our family will carry on this tradition. They are old enough to have witnessed the tough beginnings and know what goes into making a pâtisserie successful. They carry that pride in them.’ In 2019, the pastry bakery made the bold move of opening two pastry shops in Tarragona and Torredembarra. The latter, called Sal i Sucre (Salt and Sugar), is a cafeteria where you can enjoy both salty and sweet pastries as well as Napolitan pizza.
‘It may seem strange that we combine sweet and savoury flavours, pastries and pizza, but for us, that paradox is, in many ways, our secret. We teamed up with a baker who had the perfect recipe for pizza dough, and our collaboration created a synergy that captured the attention. We carry cross-over products as well. After all, you can stuff a croissant with sweet condiment but also with cheese and ham.’ There is a straightforward reasoning behind this approach.
According to Rafael, people are willing to pay more for salty products than for sweet ones. And once people have eaten something salty, they are more likely to want to eat something sweet. ‘So the two lines of products reinforce each other well’, says Rafael. ‘We went from 13 to 30 employees almost overnight. The good thing with Cal Jan is that we are a young team and that has allowed us to move fast. At the same time, with the experience we have gained in pastry making in the past, there is also a sense of maturity. All in all, there is a good balance between youthful energy and expertise.’
Cal Jan is not only famous for its chocolate panettone or its mixture of salt and sweet. The pâtisserie also makes luxury croissants that have become very popular. According to Rafael, the croissant is in many ways the backbone to what Cal Jan does. ‘Croissants are available everywhere. You can even buy them in the supermarket. But a quality croissant accompanies you all day. It is the perfect start, or the perfect moment during lunch break. It changes your day. It affords you a moment of happiness. The croissant is a way of life! And the beautiful thing is that we can fill that croissant with a thousand sweet and salty fillings.’ Consumers are willing to pay for the kind of exclusivity that Cal Jan has to offer. ‘People are so fond of our croissants that they are willing to order them in advance just to cover the days that we are closed.’
THE PERFECT PASTRY DEPENDS ON TWO THINGS: INGREDIENTS AND PEOPLE.
Ingredients and people
For Rafel, the perfect pastry depends on two things: ingredients and people. Quality ingredients are important but, in the end, the successful application of these ingredients depends on the people you work with. ‘Ideally, we’d like to choose our ingredients purely based on how we think the product should be, but in real life that is not the only factor. We also have to look for ingredients that give us as few problems as possible. In the end, we have targets to meet and customers to satisfy. You don’t want to end up in a situation in which the butter doesn’t melt, or doesn’t mix well. Imagine that the melted chocolate turns out to be too dense. So we analyse, taste and experiment.’ For the pastry chef and his team, the interaction with the supplier is equally important. It is a matter of cooperating with these people to ensure Cal Jan gets the right ingredients.
Talking about people brings Rafael to discuss his own people. ‘The team is crucial for the success of this company. They are the face of the pastry shop. Their labour and service go into making a customer visit a worthwhile experience. I depend a lot on my nephew, Adrià, who is totally driven to make the best products possible. Our output volume is high. I cannot taste everything we make, as much as I’d like to do so. Where would I be without Karol’s expert coffee brewing skills or Judith’s croissants? I’m mentioning these three people, but the same goes for every member of the team. That’s why I have invested in taking the team on various trips, to give them first-hand experience of Napolitan pizza and Milan’s panettone traditions. Working for Cal Jan is demanding. Long shifts and required participation in cooking shows, fairs, events, pizza festivals are part of the drill. I therefore try to balance my workforce with both mature staff and young people with a flexible attitude.’
Paradoxes
Cal Jan operates within this wonderful tension between tradition and innovation. Rafel considers it a paradox. ‘On the one hand, traditional products are perfected through innovative methods. On the other hand, customers love new creations based on the timeless classics to savour both the past and the present. Since today everything is electrical, we can produce traditional products with better quality and in higher quantity. The paradox here is that we have the latest tools, but that we use them to improve on the tradition. Why not? Of course, we are going to innovate and make new pastries and chocolates. This is our moment to leave a mark. But at the same time, the old pastries will not be discontinued. We will continue to make the traditional croissant, but we will also give it a modern filling. We’ll do both at the same time.’
CUSTOMERS LOVE NEW CREATIONS BASED ON THE TIMELESS CLASSICS.
Innovation is also relevant for this other paradox between indulgence and health concerns. ‘Because of the innovative methods used today, pastries have been evolving as well. The traditional pastry can be made with a little less sugar. The creams are of higher quality and don’t need to be as sweet as they used to be. Innovation is responsible for a better balance between health and sweets. In all of this, people would do well to realize the importance of mental health. Meeting people over a nice pastry gives us quality time, which is good for the heart and the mind.’ He remembers how, when he first started, the tension between creativity and profitability took him for a ride. ‘Initially, I had some very crazy ideas. I wanted to make cool things and didn’t think about how it would be sold and if customers would like it. But eventually, you mature, and you realize that people don’t have limitless amounts of money to spend.
So far, Rafel has enjoyed the past fifteen years as a pastry chef. He is proud of what Cal Jan has achieved. Yet, looking at the future, nothing is certain. ‘I always have short-term goals. The day I’m no longer happy at Cal Jan, I’m gone. I always say that to my team. However, the truth is that I am greatly enjoying what I’m doing. We’d like to expand, but will do so only in line with customer demand. After all, we’re 33 people working in a village.’ Chances are that in the near future, Cal Jan will start making ice cream. ‘Our town deserves it.’
The quintessential croissant elevated with Debic products. Crisp, buttery, and beautifully balanced, see how to master this timeless classic.
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