When the couple first met in their hometown of Tours, France over twenty years ago, he was an electrical engineering student, and Nelly was studying law. Jean-Yves took a job in the bakery Nelly's father owned and in which she was actually born. It was here that Duperret was born to his love of creating fine pastries. Soon he was entering professional pastry competitions all over France. He studied with some of that country's top patissiers and before long, the self-proclaimed perfectionist was well launched on his quest for the best.
Jean-Yves moved en famille to the United States in 1980, and soon settled in San Francisco. After catering and teaching patisserie classes at the California Culinary Academy, he and Nelly opened La Nouvelle Patisserie. The Union Street shop has plenty of small but inviting marble tables where patrons sit and savor treasured morsels, sip espresso and gaze at the sumptuous edibles in the long, filled to the brim display case.
	People from all walks of life come here to sin; from the occasional construction worker, to the pretty ladies who do lunch, to the ultra cool up to the minute people. Almost anyone would feel comfortable here, it has the atmosphere of the perfect French cafe, complete with ceiling fans and cafe curtains.
Jean-Yves has shared some of his favorite cake recipes with me. But these are not for the novice baker. A good foundation in pastry basics (including at least one visit from the fire department) is recommended. But for the baker on a special occasion, the extra time and effort spent will be rewarded with a visually stunning and mouth watering creation.