Known for his innovative approach to pastry and a commitment to celebrating culinary diversity, Youssef Boudarine is a rising star in Indianapolis’ food scene. Originally from Berber, Morocco, Boudarine honed his craft under world-renowned chefs and brought his talents to the Midwest, where he has made an indelible mark. From his celebrated work at local establishments to his venture, J’Adore, Boudarine continues to redefine what it means to blend artistry, culture and flavor.
The Indianapolis Recorder sat down with Boudarine to talk about Indianapolis’ diverse food scene, the art of crafting elegant desserts on a budget and how his heritage inspires his culinary creations.
This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.
Tell us about your early influences and what drew you to pastries.
Boudarine: I grew up with 11 siblings; we had to help our mom in the kitchen. So, I was leaning toward making bread because that’s what we often eat in Morocco. That’s the only thing that started making me think about the kitchen and baking. It was never in my mind that I would be a pastry chef one day.
What was training under master chefs in France like, and how did that experience influence your style?
Boudarine: France was a great experience. Morocco and France are close to each other, culture-wise and language-wise. Since the French colonized us, we have had the same structures and culinary programs. In France and Morocco, being a chef is like something noble. So, they value their chefs; they value their workers in the kitchen. They have an excellent program. Working with this master chef opened my eyes to (the idea) that cooking is simple and easy, just like trying to enjoy it and making it with your heart, and everything is, it becomes easy. You don’t have to buy many books. You don’t have to stress about it or think about it. As long as you enjoy it, everything will become easy.
What motivated you to bring your talents to Indianapolis?
Boudarine: I traveled often and moved from city to city, country to country. I came here to visit my best friend since high school in Morocco. He lives in Indiana. So, I came to see him in 2016, just hanging out with him and meeting some people. I struggled to find a pastry to have in the morning or coffee. I said, ‘Damn, there is a lot of missing here in this area.’
With J’Adore, your pop-up venture, you’re known for innovative offerings like croissant supremes. How do you balance accessibility with high-end artistry?
Boudarine: My goal is to make people feel that the food is accessible to everyone since we have a food insecurity problem here. I try to make, for example, doughnuts or chocolate chip cookies. I want to highlight that. I want to make it look fancy and bougie, taste good and try to use ingredients, not just corn syrup or sugar. And I try to stay away from corn syrup. I try to avoid additives or products that may affect people’s health. Try to make some light pastry rich with flavor and good ingredients.
Tell us about how you created the Epicurean Indy food festival and why you felt it was essential to celebrate culinary diversity in this way.
Boudarine: I enjoy these festivals because we try to bring awareness about people, minorities, females and people of color. And we try to show them that even if their skin is not white, they have an outstanding talent and care about the city.
As an instructor at the Junior Chef Academy, what’s your biggest hope for the next generation of chefs?
Boudarine: My focus is just to show them love, like having fun with them. For us, it’s training them for the World Food Championships. My goal is to give them an outstanding food balance. Every time I go, I take the oyster, I take the caviar, and I take some kind of cheese, just so they can enjoy something that they never even had.
Do you plan to transition J’Adore into a permanent storefront? If so, what can customers expect?
Boudarine: We have a few opportunities to open a brick and mortar. The labor is my concern and finding the right people to have the same vision we do with my business partner Ariel. Since we started doing these festivals, like Epicurean or the Makao Chocolate Festival, we have seen huge demand, and people have shown up like crazy. Something is missing that people need to see first. So, it’s coming, but I’m not sure when.
What’s next for you and your contributions to Indianapolis’ food scene?
Boudarine: For all the pastry chefs to enjoy it, have fun with it, and just bring positive energy, like a positive mentality about people who work in the kitchen. People think it’s not a career, so I want to make it more valuable so people will be proud of whatever we do. Like sourdough, it is something like when I go to Brazil or Spain, like the shops and the fact that people enjoy it. I want to be a part of this as well. It is a better life. There are talented people behind it.
To experience Boudarine’s artistry firsthand, follow J’Adore on social media or visit their next pop-up event. Details can be found on their official Instagram account: @jadorepastry.
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
