Jean-Marc Masset in his chef's whites in the shop, behind a counter of baguettes and pastries

Behind the counter, every morning

Over forty years of French pastry, and he is still the one piping it.

Jean-Marc Masset

Le 76 is named after a number on a map. Normandie, where Jean-Marc Masset was born, is departement 76.

I was born in Normandie, France. Normandie's departement number is 76, hence the name of my patisserie.

He started at thirteen, an apprenticeship south of Paris, then seasonal work and compulsory military service. By 1989 he was on the pastry section of a two Michelin star kitchen in Honfleur. That is over forty years of it now, and he is still the one piping at six in the morning.

Over forty years, in order

From thirteen, south of Paris. An apprenticeship, then seasonal work and compulsory military service.
1989 to 1991, Hotel Saint Simeon, Honfleur. Pastry section. The kitchen held two Michelin stars at the time.
1991 to 1993, Cannizaro House, Wimbledon. Head pastry chef.
1993 to 1995, Apollo Ship Chandlers. Executive pastry chef on cruise liners, cooking for two thousand passengers at a time.
1995 to 1997, Harrods. Sous chef over forty pastry chefs and twenty bakers.
1997 to 1999, Marks and Spencer. Development chef, building pastry lines for two hundred and fifty stores.
1999 to 2003, Jean-Marc's Patisserie. His own two shops, Broadway and Pyrmont.
2003 to 2021, Benchmark Patisserie. Partner, supplying over eighty coffee shops across Sydney, along with Max Brenner, Sushi Train and Baskin Robbins. He was one of the original creators of Kurtosh.
2021 to now, Le 76. Back behind the counter, in front of the customer.