OUR STORY

The franco-american Brown-Pivain family have a long history, both in Paris where they introduced and promoted vegan cuisine and pastry and in Normandy by the practice of veganic permaculture. 1995 Our family moved from Paris to settle at the Domaine de Broc Fontaine , on a family property located in the Iton River Valley in Normandy. We began the creation of a 6000sq meter vegetable garden where we innovated by developping a veganic permaculture process. 2000-2007 In 2000 we opened a Bed & Breakfast on the property that welcomed a large French and international clientele attracted by the bucolic atmosphere of the place and by the table d’hôte that used so much of the produce from the vast kitchen garden.. 2008-2019 In 2008 we created the pioneering vegan Gentle Gourmet concept, with the aim of promoting veganism in France through an innovative and original gastronomic approach. The next ten years would see an incredible number of firsts which opened the way for veganism in France. From the world’s first urban vegan b&b, to the first vegan festival in continental Europe - the famous Paris Vegan Day festivals, to the first vegan café that gave birth to Paris' first gastronomic vegan restaurant and gourmet caterer to finally achieving our cherished goal of opening a vegan culinary institute in both Paris and Normandy. 2020 A dream comes true when Gentle Gourmet’s culinary institute opens full time in Normandy at the Domaine de Broc Fontaine