About us
Julien Despaquis
Julien has been in a kitchen since he was four, as his parents have been running a restaurant for thirty years in Reims, France, the cradle of Champaig. He left at eighteen to become Pastry chef apprentice and then Chocolate chef.
He brings the excellence from working with the great names in French gastronomy, pastry, and chocolatery, notably in three-star Michelin restaurants, and alongside his mentor, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France (the most prestigious distinction of the French gastronomy), Pascal Caffet.
Driven by a desire to venture and explore new territories, he fell under the charm of Thailand just like Damien did.
“We want clients to explore flavor they cannot find elsewhere and enjoy high-quality products. Maison Tonka is the only pastry shop in Ko Samui that uses French sourced raw material like butter, cream, flour or chocolate, you can immediately taste the difference.”
Damien du Fretay
Damien du Fretay has had multiple professional lives and has built a career in sales and business development. In recent years he has helped dozens of start-ups to grow.
Damien has a passion for entrepreneurial projects and for a long time, he was aiming to create a culinary concept highlighting French gastronomy abroad.
“With Maison Tonka, we have created a unique place, as Julien said, the possibilities are limitless with the products of Thailand from the fruits to even cocoa beans! Julien has the talent to offer new tastes combining French creams and exotic fruits – it is such a pleasure to see how positive feedback from customers is. This is so motivating!”
Our place
Maison Tonka is a charming combination of French pastry shop, tea room, and café based in Bophut. It offers a delectable array of fresh cakes, croissants, pain au chocolat, cookies, and a full assortment of all-day breakfast and lunch options. Seasonal assortments of chocolates are also available. The menu features a wide selection of hot and cold beverages, including homemade lemonade. Everything is produced on-site and freshly made daily.
