Today we’d like to introduce you to Toni Rivard.
Toni, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My roots began on a farm in Illinois, where everything was truly, “farm to table”. My mother and aunts made everything from scratch. I come from a family of excellent cooks and bakers. We moved to California when I was a pre-teen. I went from farm girl, to city girl, pretty fast. I remained passionate about my roots, and loved to bake more than anything. I developed my own recipes for what I thought, was the best of the best. I would give my cookies/cakes/desserts away as gifts at every opportunity that existed. I was told by many, that I should open up my own bakery. I entered a contest for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie in Orange County, in the late 80’s and won Grand Prize. That inspired me to continue baking, and have a goal of opening my own bakery.
In 2008, I moved to Dallas. I searched for a location to start a bakery, not having any clue how to run a bakery. The only thing I knew for sure, was that I could offer the best baked goods in Dallas. I found a location in Snider Plaza where a previous bakery failed. A lot of people told me that it would be a mistake, to think that I could succeed where another failed. I didn’t listen, obviously, because I proceeded full-speed ahead and opened up in 2009 to rave reviews.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was not a smooth road, whatsoever. I had a handful of students from Le Cordon Bleu that I hired, along with some young people in University Park that liked to bake. I handed everyone recipes that I had developed, and put them in front of a Kitchen Aid mixer, and said “make this”! We were making small batches, putting the product out front, and selling out almost immediately. It didn’t take me long, to realize that we had some processes that needed tweaking! I learned by “doing”. It would have been extremely helpful if I had taken some business courses, or worked in a bakery first, before opening one. I would highly recommend that for anyone else!
Crème de la Cookie/BAKED by Toni Rivard – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are known to be a gourmet from-scratch bakery. The emphasis is on the finest ingredients, and the best recipes. I have created delicious renditions of many desserts that people are familiar with, and love. We make the very best cakes (my mother’s and grandmother’s recipes) pies, cookies, brownies, etc. in Dallas, or anywhere, for that matter. My opinion, along with what my customers tell me!
I am well known for my cake balls. I didn’t invent them, I just made them WAY better, by making them from scratch. I also dip them in real chocolate, and not a candy coating.
I found that French Macarons were becoming popular in Dallas, with very few sources to find them. I traveled to Paris and took classes at Le Cordon Bleu to learn how to make them. I have my own particular spin on them, which has made us one of the most popular bakeries in Dallas to get them.
I was in New York last May, and discovered Freak shakes. No one in Dallas was making them. I contacted Blue Bell, a Texas favorite, and the rest is history. We now make over-the-top monster milkshakes, with towering Crème de la Cookie treats on top, along with freshly whipped cream. They are a huge favorite!
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
We were listed in Forbe’s Traveler as the top 10 Chocolate Chip Cookie in the nation. That was after just 4 months of being open. The editor just happened to be in Dallas and came into my bakery to try one. She called her publisher, and actually took someone off the list, to put us in at the number 1 slot! I couldn’t have been prouder.
I’m also very proud, that I didn’t give up, when circumstances were tough in the beginning. I’m glad that I didn’t listen to the naysayers about opening up a bakery where another failed. I knew that I just needed people to give us a try. That’s all it would take for us to get people hooked on our product.
Contact Info:
- Address: 6706 Snider Plaza, Dallas, TX 75205
- Website: www.cremedelacookie.com www.tonirivard.com
- Phone: 214-265-5572
- Email: toni@tonirivard.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonirivard_cremedelacookie/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bakedbytonirivard/ https://www.facebook.com/ToniRivardCakeballs/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ToniRivard
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cr%C3%A8me-de-la-cookie-dallas-3
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