A family business
It all starts with a passion, that of Étienne - the great candy lover and patriarch of the Dolfi tribe - and his elders, Sophie and Steve. Jane and Jonathan, the youngest members of the family, then join them, each putting their skills to good use, or discovering new ones through this delicious adventure.
The chocolate family
The mission to “safeguard” France’s chocolate and confectionery heritage started with the purchase of the historic shop at 35 rue du Faubourg Montmartre in 2000. From the outset, the family was keen to preserve, as far as possible, the tradition and expertise of this site, founded in 1761.
Today, the Dolfi family, who are the proud owners of À la Mère de Famille shops dotted throughout Paris and its suburbs, have also had the good fortune to take over the iconic Stohrer bakers, the legendary Palets d’Or in Moulins and the famous Au Négus in Nevers. And in this way, motivated by the deep desire to protect and promote traditional recipes and establishments, and encourage an appreciation for quality, they continue to preserve and pass on France’s confectionery heritage.
We were brought up to appreciate the finer things and want to pass this on. Our mother and grandmothers cooked a lot, and the table was a place to meet, share and have fun. Like them, we go to great lengths, and taste absolutely everything – we’ve all got an exceptionally good appetite! – so we can reach an agreement. And we’re proud of what we produce.
Jane
The siblings
Sophie
Steve
Jane
Jonathan
Defenders of France’s confectionery heritage
Over the years, the Dolfi family has become increasingly consumed by the world of confectionery and chocolate-making and, with their unique recipes, know-how and expertise, has crafted a beautiful love letter to chocolate. Alongside their desire to do well, there was also a desire to do good; and gradually, they became interested in transmitting and preserving other types of confectionery heritage. This became evident in 2000 in Limoges, when the opportunity arose to acquire the Buissière chocolate factory and take over production of its speciality, the Paladin – dark ganache chocolate with chopped roasted hazelnuts – which would have disappeared without the siblings’ intervention.
And so, in an inevitable turn of events, they found a new vocation! The purveyors of flavour and defenders of France’s confectionery heritage, then took over other regional establishments, preserving their traditional recipes: Les Palets d’Or in Moulins, Au Négus in Nevers, La Chocolatière in Tours, Henriet on the Basque Coast, Au Duc de Morny in Deauville, Pillon in Toulouse and Témoins in Caen… These establishments, although owned by the Dolfi family are all very different and remain loyal to their roots, retaining their name, traditional methods and identity.
