Our History
The story aboutMagazine
11 October 2024
A family affair
Alain Coumont learned the beauty of baking when he was just a little boy. Too small to reach the counter, his aunt Simone would pull a chair over for Alain to stand on so he could watch her make the dough for bread. On Sundays, they’d bake, not just loaves and boules, but a dozen tarts too. His taste for baking up happiness reaches far back into the legacy of his past. Alain’s mother’s parents owned a restaurant near Liège in Belgium, and his father trained as a chef. Alain even studied at the same hotel school that his father attended in Namur, Belgium. He followed in their footsteps until it was time to mark his own path.
Chapter 1
Our History
Perfectly imperfect
As a young chef in Brussels, Alain hunted, tasted, and searched for bread that lived up to his childhood ideal. Coming up empty-handed was perhaps the most fortunate stroke, for Alain realized that the only way to satisfy his yearning for the rustic bread of his youth was to recreate it from memory. And so, Le Pain Quotidien was born from his quest to taste the familiar.
Chapter 2
Our History
16 Rue Dansaert, Bruxelles
Once Alain Coumont decided to open his bakery, he needed to decide on a name. He recalled a memory of his father exclaiming “moi, ce n’est pas mon pain quotidien!” literally translating to “it’s not my daily bread.” Alain knew he needn’t look any further for the words to hang above his bakery door. Welcome to Le Pain Quotidien, “the daily bread,” where the past meets the present and the future is today.
The first Le Pain Quotidien opened in Brussels in 1990, and within a few months 10 more locations opened, all serving the classic, rustic loaves Alain grew up with. Seven years later, Alain’s dream to open in the United States was realized with a flagship bakery on Madison Avenue in New York City, and now, his vision of fresh-baked, traditionally made bread has become a tradition for neighbors and friends at over 250 Le Pain Quotidien locations throughout the world.
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Our soups: vegetable-forward and honest
Clean eating at Le Pain Quotidien is a philosophy woven into every dish we offer, guided by a simple commitment: food should be honest, natural, and delicious. While our sourdough bread is a signature example, our dedication extends to everything we serve, especially our soups. They highlight the fresh flavor of real vegetables—never powders or artificial enhancers—showcasing what nature provides when left untouched.
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Step into our kitchen
Our behind-the-scenes videos invite you to watch our chefs at work as they create new seasonal favorites—sharing every fresh detail and secret touch that brings each recipe to life. From iconic classics like avocado toast and Caesar salad to the reinvented flavors of our latest menu, enjoy an inside look at how we transform seasonal ingredients into memorable experiences.
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Welcome homeLe Pain Quotidien means "the daily bread". And to us, that means everything. It’s much more than mere sustenance; it’s a way of life.
Simple. Fresh. Honest.
Our dishesOur menu celebrates natural, honest ingredients, prepared freshly every day. And at the heart of it all is the bread that brings everything together.