Laurent Correa remembers rice at the dinner table in Versailles, just outside of Paris, where he was raised by Senegalese parents. It wasn't until he went to boarding school for basketball that he experienced French gastronomy. Correa, who goes by "Lou," played professional basketball for seven years before winning the green card lottery and coming to America.
He admits it's a bit cliche for a Frenchman to open a bakery but he became fascinated with baking while watching a chef at work. Teaching himself from YouTube videos, Correa saved money to open his own bakery while catering birthday parties and graduations for the French parents of the Lycée International. Searching for the tastes of his childhood, Correa became more confident in his baking skills.
Laurent "Lou" Correa started his career as a professional basketball player before teaching himself to bake by watching YouTube. Photo courtesy of Lou The French On The Block.
When it came to time to name his Burbank spot, Correa wanted to avoid the French sounding bakeries he saw across the city. "I'm happy to be in this culture," he says and wanted a name that was "cool and that would describe me and that's welcoming. So that's when Lou The French On The Block came, almost like the New Kids On The Block."
With his role models like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, Lou recognizes his own position to impact his community and credits his regulars with helping his business survive the pandemic.