There’s a corner of Talbot Yard Food Court in Malton where France meets Yorkshire, and it’s one of the most delightful culinary discoveries I’ve made in North Yorkshire. Florian Poirot Malton is the kind of place you tell people about when they ask for food recommendations — then immediately regret sharing, because you don’t want it to get too busy.
Florian Poirot, the UK Pastry Champion, has created something rather special in this unassuming spot, and after several visits, I’m convinced his Malton shop is an absolute must for anyone who takes their patisserie seriously.
The Man Behind the Macarons
Florian Poirot is a pastry chef from Nancy in North Eastern France who spent his childhood in his grandfather’s bakery before studying at Nancy Culinary School and achieving a Master in Pastry and Confectionery. That sort of pedigree shows in every meticulously crafted sweet that leaves his kitchen.
He moved to York over a decade ago with his wife Celine to work for Nestlé in research and development, but the corporate world couldn’t contain his artisanal ambitions for long. The pair opened their Malton shop in 2017, and it’s been drawing people from across the country ever since.
What impresses me most is Florian’s competition credentials. He became UK Pastry Champion and in 2017 represented the UK at the World Pastry Cup in Lyon, being awarded Best Sugar Showpiece.
Inside the Malton Shop
The boutique sits at 2a Talbot Yard in the food court, alongside other brilliant local producers. It’s next to the Groovy Moo ice cream parlour, and in summer there’s shared outdoor seating where you can enjoy your treats with a proper cup of tea or one of Florian’s seven types of hot chocolate.
Inside the pâtisserie, the display counters are immaculate – and that’s down to wife Celine, who inspects everything each morning to ensure it’s perfect. She’s also an artist who studied in France, and her paintings add personal touches to orders.
The selection is fantastic and I never know what to pick! Towering displays of colourful macarons, trays of immaculate chocolates, dessert pots with layers of contrasting textures, and seasonal specials that change throughout the year. Everything looks almost too beautiful to eat. Almost.
The Macarons: Worth the Journey
Let’s talk about what Florian does best. These macarons aren’t your standard almond biscuits with buttercream. They’re proper French macarons made by someone who learned the craft in Nancy, a city famous for them.
The flavour selection is extraordinary. Traditional options like pistachio sit alongside more adventurous choices – Guinness, basil and raspberry, coffee made with beans from the roaster next door. The passion fruit ones are particularly excellent, with that perfect balance of sweet and sharp that makes you reach for another immediately.
The texture is spot-on: crisp shell giving way to a chewy, unctuous filling. Florian recently launched new masterclasses where you can learn to make your own macarons and desserts, which speaks to his confidence in his technique – he’s not gatekeeping his methods.
Beyond Macarons
The chocolates deserve their own paragraph. Each one is painted with a brush of colour indicating its flavour, and the milk chocolate work here is particularly impressive. These aren’t mass-produced chocolates; they’re individual pieces of edible art with properly considered flavour combinations.
Then there are the dessert pots. The Rum Baba – a brioche soaked in rum syrup with vanilla cream – is Florian’s signature dessert and always available. It’s deceptively simple but executed beautifully, which is harder to achieve than elaborate confections.
The shop also stocks jam, spreads, and other sweet treats that make excellent gifts or – let’s be honest – treats for yourself.
The Celebrity Effect
The Hairy Bikers visited in 2021, and Florian has appeared on James Martin’s Saturday Kitchen.
The shop has also received visits from the King and Queen, which is about as royal an endorsement as you can get for a small Yorkshire pâtisserie.
The Business
What strikes me about this new venture is the thoughtfulness behind it. During the pandemic, they successfully implemented click and collect services, extending to nationwide deliveries. You can order online if you’re nowhere near Malton, though there’s something special about visiting in person.
The business now employs eight staff members and has grown considerably since those early days of selling at local markets. The business currently turns over £450,000, impressive for an independent pâtisserie in a market town.
Florian and Celine’s approach to success is refreshingly honest: “We are successful, but it’s not without work. We don’t look for excuses, we challenge ourselves.” That mindset shows in every aspect of the operation.
Seasonal Changes and Special Touches
The boutique evolves with the seasons. There will be pumpkins for Halloween, chocolate Santas for Christmas(my husband got some last Christmas and it was DELICIOUS!), and the flavours of macarons and dessert pots change throughout the year as different ingredients become available. This commitment to seasonality and using the best available ingredients at any given time elevates the entire offering.
Practical Details
Address: 2a Talbot Yard, Malton YO17 7FT
Phone: 07947 587382
Website: florianpoirot.com
The shop ids closed Monday and Tuesday. The staff are genuinely lovely – knowledgeable about the products and happy to guide you through the selection if you’re overwhelmed by choice (which you will be).
Being in Talbot Yard Food Court means you’re surrounded by other excellent food producers. Make a morning of it: grab coffee from Roost, browse the butcher and baker, then finish with something sweet from Florian’s.
The Verdict
Florian Poirot’s Malton shop is exactly what Yorkshire’s food scene needs: great quality, proper technique, and genuine passion for the craft. This isn’t artisanal as a marketing buzzword; it’s artisanal because a French master pâtissier is making everything by hand to the standards he learned in Paris and Nancy.
The prices reflect the quality and the work involved. These aren’t cheap supermarket macarons, and they shouldn’t be. What you’re paying for is a UK Pastry Champion’s expertise, the finest ingredients, and flavours you simply won’t find elsewhere in Yorkshire.
Whether you’re a local or visiting Malton for the day, this is a must-stop. The macarons make excellent gifts (if you can resist eating them yourself), the chocolates are perfect for special occasions, and honestly, sometimes you just need to treat yourself to something made by someone who’s won awards for best sugar showpiece.
Florian and his wife Celine have created something genuinely special in Malton. It’s a little taste of France in North Yorkshire, executed with precision, creativity, and a level of skill that’s rare anywhere, let alone in a market town food court.
Do yourself a favour: next time you’re in Malton, skip the chain coffee shops and head straight to Talbot Yard. Your taste buds will thank you.
Don’t forget to keep the box, you get money off if you reuse your box on future visits!
Related posts: