ABOUT — The Story of Essence

Essence Bakery Café, established by Eugenia Theodosopoulos and Gilles Combes who met and married in Paris, is an elegant, casual dining experience—a place to eat well while talking with friends, meeting with colleagues, or celebrating with family. At Essence, ingredients rule the kitchen and the cooking. Chef Eugenia starts by hand-selecting only the finest, freshest, quality ingredients—this essential beginning results in thoughtfully created and perfectly prepared organic dishes, pastries, and desserts. Unique and familiar flavors mingle in new ways and delight the palate.

Buy local. Eat well. Preserve the Planet—three commitments that live in the hearts of Eugenia and Gilles and guide their mission. Environmental sustainability practices are infused in all facets of the bakery-café, for example, Essence compost cycles back to its suppliers, the local farms. Dishes and pastries require the freshest, and organic-whenever-possible ingredients and are designed around local and in season foods. Why? Because local/organic ingredients and sustainable farming methods minimize greenhouse gas emissions and pollution-producing transportation. Eggs and dairy are always organic.

Essence, especially known for its Parisian Macarons, won the "Best of Phoenix" award within its first nine months of operation—for both the macaron and the restaurant.

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