It is very common for a company's website to include a "About Us" section in which the owner is introduced, the beginnings of the business are outlined, as well as the outlook for the future. Instead of being so formal in the manuscript of the history of Tillemont Bakery and Patisserie, I invite you to read a much more personal account; a glimpse into the life of the D'Angelo family to show you not only the importance we place on Tillemont Bakery and Patisserie, but also the interpersonal relationships that exist behind its doors.

My name is George D'Angelo, the youngest of an intact family of Italian origin. My mother Annette, my father Joe, my two brothers Joey and Benny, and myself are all proud owners of Tillemont Bakery and Patisserie. Since my early childhood, my father has always been my biggest influence. No matter where my father went, I was always just a few steps behind him. It goes without saying that accompanying my father to work was a regular occurrence. To this day, I continue to conduct my personal and professional life in a way that honors him. Saturdays have always been the busiest days at work. Not only did we have to fill orders for four or five different reception rooms, but we also had to bake 400 to 500 dozen rolls to do so. Producing the huge quantities of bread was not an easy task. The alarm clock went off at the stroke of midnight, so of course my father never slept in. When his alarm sounded in my ears, I quickly jumped out of bed and headed straight for his bedroom. With my fingers crossed behind my back, I would ask her if I could go with her. Because of my young age, my father's answer was always the same: "soon George, but not today".

When my brothers and I were quite old, the three of us worked at the bakery. Looking back on my childhood memories, the most precious moments for me are those spent at Tillemont Bakery and Patisserie. I vividly remember, at the age of seven or eight, standing on a chair in front of the cash register, entering the prices of each item purchased while my mother showed me the change to give to customers. I felt so proud to be contributing to our family business. My parents didn't care about my mistakes because they recognized the positive influence these experiences would have on the man I am today. It was during these moments that I realized that Tillemont Bakery and Patisserie was not just a business, but rather our second home. It was here that my brothers and I truly understood the meaning of work, sacrifice, and family. Today, we all play a role that is unique to us, but at the same time, it frames the other roles to ensure efficiency.

When I was younger, I worked more in the front with my mother. At the end of my school day, I would go directly to the bakery on the number 45 bus and stay there until closing time. I enjoyed serving and getting to know our very loyal customers, some of whom are still shopping there after many years. At the age of 13, all my afternoons were reserved for work at the bakery. In fact, even on weekends, I could be found at Tillemont Bakery, helping my father or brother with the many deliveries of breads and cakes throughout the city. And all under the care of my mother who also worked so hard. Every day she had to get up early, get us ready for school, go to work, return home, serve dinner to her three sons and my father, and put everything away before bedtime to start all over again the next day. Not once did we hear him complain! Finally, none of us ever questioned our role or duty in the family and the business; we knew we all had something to do... and we still do. Joey, the second born, has the most years of work at Tillemont Bakery and Patisserie of the three. At a very young age, he made the decision that he wanted to make a career out of it. He and my father have a lot in common. They achieved success with a lot of ambition, perseverance, and sacrifice since, without any specialized training or education, they taught themselves the trade. Today, as Pastry Chef at Tillemont Bakery and Patisserie, Joey has taken the pastry/cake department under his care and transformed it into something wonderful. In doing so, he has enabled our family business to offer our customers the most appealing and enticing cakes for any occasion. It is of great importance to us to celebrate your event with a personalized cake, created to your vision. It will undoubtedly be the focus of all your guests' comments! When people ask me what it's like to own a bakery, many words come to mind.

However, there is one story that resonates more than the others and sums up my experience. I remember on a certain Friday night, we were offered two tickets to a baseball game at the Olympic Stadium. Neither of my two brothers was available to go with me. So, realizing my great disappointment, my father decided to do the honors. When we returned home, at about eleven o'clock, I headed straight to bed, exhausted by the excitement of the outing. My father, however, did not have the same opportunity as me; he had to go straight to work. He worked a full day, accompanied me to the Stadium, put me to bed, then returned to a 14-hour shift. In the innocence of my youth, I could not see past my own emotions to recognize the great sacrifice my father had just made. In my opinion, the above story sums up our family business that has been on its feet since the year 1974.

Tillemont Bakery and Patisserie is an important Montreal landmark that stands out from the rest by its dedication, the quality of its services and products, and the ever-growing passion of its members; the D'Angelo family and its staff.