An interview with a model and luxury patissiere
There’s a musing lull to her speech that gives you a peek into her quirky personality. Janelle Manning has a very kind soul framed with optimism. Her journey started while she was working in developmental research, pursuing an applied degree in childhood studies, before being scouted by modeling agents multiple times: at the grocery store, the mall, and on Facebook. It seems as though modeling chose her before she chose it. Manning “wasn’t expecting much”. Then things took off from there. “I was booking regular jobs, so I just went with the flow. I loved traveling and experiencing different cultures through my job. I also really loved being on set.” You may have seen her on the numerous magazine covers, or Toyota and Maybelline commercials, Christian Louboutin, Tatcha, Elta MD, Canada Goose, the list goes on and on, spanning fifteen years of an incredible modeling career. But there’s so much more than meets the eye. Flanelle Magazine spoke with Janelle Manning about her modeling career and journey to becoming a luxury pastry chef.
Text By Gabie McFadden
What was it like growing up in northern British Columbia, Canada?
I love BC – it has a special place in my heart, especially in the summer. Going to the lake and climbing mountains. What a beautiful place I feel so lucky to have called home. I really believed that it was the place that taught me to dream big. I spent a lot of time on my grandpa’s fishing boat, eating cookies and dreaming of the places I wanted to see and things I wanted to do.
Is your heart in BC, NYC, or Paris?
My heart is in all three, and they all hold a special place in my heart. Through the 17 years of travel, I have found there are more places that I love. I love Paris so much. It’s such an inspiration. Whenever I visit, I love to walk down my favorite streets. Look at all the pastries, the amazing architecture, the gardens, look at the art in the churches, and the museums, art is everywhere. People dress so nicely. I learned a lot from my agents and photographers. I learned so much from the people in that city. New York has a cool energy about it. I don’t know why, but I often feel energized walking around. It has been a fun city to raise my daughter in. We go to so many classes. There are many cool free concerts available, and I love to take her to the museums, especially the Natural History Museum. She loves that one so much.
She’s an artist through and through. While at the height of her modeling career, being the face for the likes of L’Oréal and Toyota, among others, Manning decided to put herself through rigorous training at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris to become a pastry chef. And the why was simple, it was for fun. “I did what I wanted. I guess I did it initially for fun. It was kind of random. L’Oréal bought my image for two more years. I wasn’t [baking] for a career.”
Did you always envision turning your passion for baking into your very own thriving business?
I never thought about it. I often baked to destress or as a way to share my experiences and travels with friends and family. I took an intensive course in macarons before starting [Le Cordon Bleu] culinary school because I wanted to take a piece of Paris home with me to my family. Her hobby of baking took on a life of its own. “What drew me to the culinary arts was that it was something I felt I could never stop learning or become good at. And everyone you work with has something to share.”
We noticed you often work with other chefs. Is there a great baker/ chef (past or present) whom you would love to work with?
I work with other chefs often because I like to learn. There are so many chefs I would love to work with- I have been lucky to work with some of the chefs I admire the most, and have studied with some of the most amazing French chefs. I would have loved to work with Sylvia Weinstock, and think she’s absolutely amazing right down to her style. I love her glasses so much. She just looks so cool and confident. When I started taking cooking classes in Paris, I was really looking for a mentor. A strong, independent woman that I could learn from and aspire to be. I guess I didn’t quite find what I was looking for at the time, but I continued my passion to learn and found the experience thrilling.
We read in one of your previous interviews that you made macarons in a microwave! How did you make macarons in a microwave?!
One of my first apartments in New York didn’t have a proper oven on a microwave with a “convection setting” That was my only way to cook for 7 months so I made it work and the results were surprising I think if I remember correctly I added an extra 10 minutes to my time and had my temperature set 10 degrees lower than usual. Surprisingly, they turned out great.
And maybe that’s why Manning always says yes. “When I started culinary school, my friends and colleagues were very supportive and would hire me for weddings and events and to help open a restaurant. I always said yes. I am unsure if I was ever ready. I loved the challenge.” She takes a leap of faith, and it works out for her in the end. She lives for the exhilarating moments of intensity and for a lack of a better word, stress. The sky is the limit when it comes to her precision and execution.
Whether she feels prepared or not, “I always get it right when I’m interested in it.” There was no doubt in her tone. It was the most confident moment in our conversation. From taking on jobs four weeks into her culinary degree at Le Cordon Bleu to being the executive pastry chef at Rosas in Spain, fresh out of culinary school, there’s no challenge too big for her. On the outside looking in, it’s like nothing scares her. Extreme and less-than-ideal conditions have been an adrenaline rush. Dry ice to freezer trucks, anything to get it right in the nick of time. “Am I going to make it? Am I going to make it! The freezer isn’t working. The fridge isn’t working. I love it. It reminds me of when I lived in Paris [modeling] and I had meetings lined up. At least five meetings a day, 40 minutes between them. Can I get there? Am I gonna make it? I can’t speak French. It was always stressful, and I didn’t have a smartphone, so I used to write out my route directions the night before. None of the buildings had elevators, so you’d rush up five flights of stairs and be out of breath; it was kinda like this rush. I really love it! I feel the same. They’re both very different but really fun.”
Can you tell us about the cake you transported on the subway?! Does this happen often in NYC?
I transported a buttercream flower cake on the Subway. It was October, so the weather was cold, perfect for transporting a cake. The subway was not especially crowded or during rush hour… I don’t recommend this method of transportation. Even though it’s probably the quickest method to get somewhere in New York. Buttercream flowers need a specific temperature. Luckily, my cake survived.
She loves to learn and work in unpredictable conditions. She’s found the balance that keeps her excited about being in the kitchen and on set. “I ended up going back to Paris to complete an Advanced Patisserie Diploma at Ferrandi. I worked in a specialty Patisserie shop in Paris, named Sucre Coeur, which offered patisserie made with seasonal fruits, as well as vegan and gluten-free options. I had a pop-up restaurant in Colombia using local products, made chocolate right from the tree!”
Manning has found herself part of an incredible network of fellow bespoke and luxury chefs who work together all over the world. “I have high standards. The people that I work with have high standards.” They work intense 20-hour days, sometimes side by side in a pair, other times in large teams.
Manning, known for her incredibly beautiful buttercream flowers, has been pushing the boundaries, scaling up her work to epic proportions alongside luxury cake designer Bastien Blanc Tailleur, a renowned wedding pastry chef.“I feel really appreciative of Bastien. I used to live next to La Pérouse in Paris. I’m friends with one of the owners, so the chef would let me plate the cuisine and hang out with the patisserie chef. The pastry chef said ‘I think you really need to meet Bastien. He does something like you, but a little differently.’ I sent [Bastien] a message asking to learn how to make wedding cakes on a larger scale because he also teaches classes, and he messaged me back and said, ‘How about you work with me?’”
Of course, she said yes to the opportunity and was on the first flight at his call. The first cake she wrapped was for a princess. There is no limit to her determination, driving a semi-truck from Monaco to Paris carrying a 3ft tall cake. Now they’re making lifelike sugar flowers in the thousands.
And her modeling is just as audacious as her cake designs. Although speaking isn’t her favorite thing in the world, her soft character is a complete 180° from what she’s like in front of the camera. Manning is a bit of a shy dynamo and is fully aware of it. She has a positive vibe and honest approach.“I don’t consider myself really put together. I’m a bit quirky. I’m a quirky person, I always say I’m an imperfect perfectionist.” However, her presence shifts to someone who openly communicates with the lens. Manning noted that people on set are often shocked at the switch. It’s something you notice immediately in her photos, especially in her eyes. She conveys her thoughts through her expressions and body language more than anything.
We noticed the way you look at the camera. Are you ever thinking about anything specific?
I guess I often think about being confident. I often thought about the people I care for the most, and in happy shoots, I held on to moments that made me laugh to try to make the expression as real as possible. I think of the camera as my friend, and I tell it whatever I’m thinking that day, but I also like to imagine it’s a good friend, so I feel warmth towards it. I think that’s so important in this job, to convey the right feeling.
Have you ever been shocked by the outcome of a shoot? Sometimes, it’s hard to envision the results when the strobes are going and the photographer isn’t tethered.
Yes, all the time! I don’t always know what the photographers are going for, especially in a creative shoot, but I think it’s important to trust the process.
Do you prefer when the photographer is tethered, or do you think it’s best not to see every image that comes through?
I have learned to trust the photographer knows what he’s doing, though sometimes I like to ask if I should make adjustments. One time, I worked with this photographer in France, and he took 10 shots and said we were done. Everyone said, ‘Really, are you sure?’ He was confident. We looked at the images, and he was right. He was amazing, he had been working for 50 years and had mainly worked with film, so he knew what he was doing. I don’t have a preference for a photographer’s style. I think one of the most interesting aspects of this job (especially for someone who is slightly introverted) is that everyone is so different. New job, new team, and you learn to work with them. It’s a great experience. I also try to remember that this isn’t about me; we are doing this together. I want to make sure that I am able to adjust myself and work as best as I can with any style or personality that comes my way to create the best possible image.
Can we ask about your sous chef? Does she like baking too?
Stella loves to help in the kitchen, and she’s so sweet. She’s only two, so I try to measure out ingredients beforehand and let her pour everything into the bowl. Trying to prevent a mess and keep my recipe accurate. She’s really proud to help me. I love her enthusiasm. I took her to Blue Hill last year to see one of my mentors, Bill Yosses, and he gave her a tour around the farm, showing her different herbs. It was so cool! I think my dream for Stella was to show her my world, and in that moment, I really saw it happening.
Manning is a professional, but she has recently become a wife and mother, and it has made her life even fuller. She pins it down to another layer of being Janelle. You could hear her daughter, Stella, playing in the background.“I didn’t know it would be so difficult. It helps me become better at my work. I can handle situations better now because of her.” She’s her little sous chef who loves to bake and occasionally comes to work with her.
Manning really enjoys being a mom and bringing her along to make happy memories together. Her voice changed to something bright and wispy when she spoke about her little one. From baking for the Ronald McDonald House and Icing Smiles to hanging out on set, Stella is a part of all sides of her mother.
When you look at your portfolio for modeling and baking, are you still surprised that you are more than successful?
JM: Definitely, I didn’t really expect anything. I thought it would be fun to travel. I didn’t really think it would happen, and then I went to South Africa, and London, and I ended up in Paris. And I never imagined I would be there. I thought I would do three months and then be back [home]. That’s what you hear. I was shocked that they wanted me. I did well in Paris. It was really my market at the time with cosmetics and fashion. And that went on for 9 years. [As for baking] I’m kinda blown away that people trust me. Bastien [Blanc Tailleur] saw my potential and didn’t care that I was a model. He believed in [my abilities]. I was one of his first employees. He trusted me.
One thing is for certain: adventure and joy never escape her. Revisiting the past isn’t her thing, and maybe that’s for the best. Maybe that’s part of her charm. Manning reflects just enough to move forward with her spirit intact. She has managed to retain her kindness through tough, competitive times, and that takes a great deal of strength. The culinary world is no walk in the park, and neither is modeling. Towards the end of our call, she told us quite plainly, “I didn’t realize I’d done as much as I have. I focus on the future and what I’m doing next.”
Janelle Manning knows what it means to trust yourself. It’s clear to see that the right choices are the risks we take to do what we desire the most. That’s the only way to remain true to yourself. Whatever it may be, do it because you love it. Say yes to going full throttle because you love it. Call it contentment or satisfaction, this is the way to find it.
Credits:
Cover Photo by (Saty Namvar and Pratha Samyrajah), MUA Tami El Sombati & Stylist Joelle Litt
Text By Gabie McFadden