In her own words, Lune Croissanterie founder and co-owner Kate Reid is a perfectionist. She has that special sort of laser-focus and drive that we expect from artists, CEOs or Olympic athletes. It’s a trait that’s probably knocked her down almost as many times as its built her back up, and the same reason she was drawn to Formula One, and croissants.
Kate fell in love with the spectacle of F1 as a teenager, and studied aerospace engineering with the sole intention of becoming an engineer in one of about a dozen F1 teams worldwide. By her early 20s, she’d packed up her life in Melbourne to work as an aerodynamicist for Williams Racing in the UK.
‘But when I finally found myself in my “dream job”, and discovered that the reality of working as an engineer in F1 did not match the expectations I had built up over a decade, the reality of the situation led to depression, and eventually an eating disorder,’ Kate says.
‘Ironically, when suffering from an eating disorder, all you can think about is food – because your body is starving it’s constantly sending signals to your brain that you need sustenance. And, trust me, you don’t dream about lettuce! You start to fantasise about the food that you love the most. For me, that was baked goods.’
As an escape from her job’s toxic culture, she found joy in baking, and in sharing her creations with others. She recalls being surprised how something as simple as a slice of cake or a perfect cookie could bring others moments of happiness. It was a ‘revelation’ that stuck with her, even long after leaving her career to return home and focus on her health, when she started working in local bakeries and cafes in Melbourne.
But it wasn’t until she travelled to Paris, where she dined (and then worked) at traditional bakery Du Pain et des Idees that she really ‘fell in love’ with the croissant: ‘a pastry that is as much science and engineering as it is baking,’ Kate emphasises.
She knew these buttery, magical kinds of croissants were missing from Melbourne’s coffee scene, and got to work on a making the ultimate croissant recipe.
‘I am my biggest critic, potentially to my own detriment,’ Kate says. ‘Looking back, I’m lucky that I even reached a point with the croissants where I was happy to start selling them at all!’
She started Lune in 2012 as a hole-in-the-wall wholesaler and when her brother, Cam Reid, joined the business a year later, it became the croissant-only bakery that everyone couldn’t stop talking about. Stories of customers lining up as early as 5am (the store opened at 8am) and arguing in line (they were often sold out before 9am) are still legendary in Melbourne. The queues aren’t quite as crazy these days, but no matter what time of day it is, you still have to line up.
Ten years later, Kate’s latest achievement is her cookbook, Lune: Croissants All Day, All Night. She personally adapted more than 60-cult favourites from Lune’s recipes in her own home, making them work within the limitations of everyday, home kitchens for Lune fans worldwide. It’s filled with stories behind the recipes, beautiful visuals, and tips and tricks – and because Kate tested each one herself, you know they’ll turn out perfect.
