Episode 29: “It’s like an iceberg” Ivy Dai, a French-trained American pastry chef, on the importance of looking beneath the surface

Profiles in Franceformation

Welcome to Episode #29 of Profiles in Franceformation, I’m your host Allison Grant Lounes. On today’s episode, I’m speaking with Ivy Dai, an American who came to France to study as a pastry chef. She opened her café in the south of France, and is now selling it post-Covid to pursue an ecommerce career in health and wellness products.

We’ll also hear about…

• What brought Ivy to France initially
• The difficulties she experienced while interning at Lenôtre but also how this experience helped her to learn French as well
• How Ivy’s visa type has changed over the years since she first arrived in France
• What Ivy finds frustrating about French culture but also the positive things she really appreciates, such as bringing your dog to a restaurant
• Allison and Ivy discuss the differences between a service and convenience culture in the US and how that differs in France
• What are Ivy’s favorite French pastries and what she enjoys making
• About the challenging working demands and environment of making pastries
• Ivy’s favorite places to visit in France and what she hopes to visit soon
• Making friends and relationships in France, both with other English speakers or Expats, and French citizens themselves
• What Ivy might do differently if she was to choose a new career in France
• The advice Ivy would give to anyone planning to move and live in France

Check out Ivy’s Cafe and YouTube Channel here: https://grazecafe.fr/ https://www.youtube.com/user/ivyeats

If you are considering moving to France like Ivy, Foolproof French Visas can help you navigate the path toward finding the right visa for you. It can be purchased here: https://www.yourfranceformation.com/books or in paperback on Amazon.

If you would like to pursue your own Franceformation, you can also request a free 30-minute clarity call with Allison to review your visa options and decide how to move toward creating your ideal life in France: https://www.yourfranceformation.com/free-call

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