Ali Cohane from Persephone Bakery

As I stand in front of Persephone Bakery's still-locked front door, I blame the time zone difference for my early arrival. It is in part true, but equally responsible is my excitement for what has been described to me as the best croissant west of the Atlantic. (No less than four different people had recommended Ali Cohane's Jackson Hole spot that she shares with her Le Cordon Bleu-trained husband, Kevin.)

I'm not the only one. There's already a small crowd ahead of me. An older woman, who I assume to be a local by her ease and effortlessly folded copy of the Jackson Hole News, dismisses her husband to an outdoor table and secures her spot at the head of the line as I begin plotting my order.

Later the same day, I am fortunate enough to sit down with Ali in her Persephone outpost in Wilson and hear more about her journey from Jackson to Paris and back again. (That is, when we weren't being politely interrupted by patrons desiring to bestow praise on the city's best purveyor of pastry.)

What was your very first job?

As soon as I turned 13 I excitedly got my workers permit. I desperately wanted to work for the local florist. Even then I loved the beauty of flowers so much.  I spent days drawing a bouquet of flowers to serve as my resume, but I was told they were not hiring.  The same woman owned a connected ice cream shop so I got my foot in the door and spent the next few summers scooping ice cream.  The flower shop job never materialized but scooping was my first foray into a long line of jobs in hospitality, and now I get to do my own flowers at my cafes! 

What inspired you to start Persephone?

20 years ago there were some coffee shops and bakeries, but not of the quality I had grown to love in Paris and Chicago. We wanted to offer traditional French pastry and hearth baked breads, which the town did not have at the time. I wanted an aesthetically driven space that showed we cared as much about design as we did our product.  I am just a happier person when I am surrounded by beautiful things, and I wanted that in a cafe experience.  So I created a place where I would go everyday to eat a fresh croissant and enjoy a really good cup of coffee.

Why do you think small, local restaurants and cafes are important to cities like Jackson and beyond?

Independence allows for greater creativity, and opportunity to take chances.  These spaces and experiences may not hit the margins say a chain needs, but more importantly they allow for unique and special places that create meaningful and memorable experiences for people.

What have been the most significant challenges and most satisfying wins of having a business? 

The challenges are innumerable frankly.  This comes with the territory when running a small business, but the most significant hurdles have been connected to our specific community - staffing, housing, sustainability etc - but fortunately those frustrations are outweighed by the brilliance of life in Jackson.  Through my business I have gotten to know the community in a way that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.  I think initially I stayed because of the beauty, but it soon became a bond with the people of this place, and that has been my greatest win.

What’s your go-to easy weeknight meal? What’s the recipe you make when you’re hosting?

Well this is embarrassing.  I spend a lot of time in restaurants - whether my own or eating out, so I really don’t cook much.  With a heavy workload and a 5 year-old, our go-to is frozen pizza from Lou Malnati's in Chicago. I grew up eating it and there is nothing like it out here, so I ship it by the half dozen to my house.  When I am hosting, I love to work all day on a meal.  I am an all-or-nothing kind of person, so I enjoy a full day of making a multi-course meal, crazy involved recipes where each ingredient is it’s own recipe - Ad Hoc from Thomas Keller is one of my favorites. I just love to see my guests enjoy something special, so I try to go all out.

How can people bring a little bit of Persephone into their own kitchens?

Most interesting question I have ever been asked!  I am not sure if this is what you mean, but honestly it’s all about detail.  Kitchens, at their most basic, are utilitarian.  We all have to eat and it’s where you make the food, but they are also an opportunity to imbue the function with form.  For example, you can have fruit sitting on your counter or you can have it placed in a gorgeous piece of pottery, arranged thoughtfully, next to a vase of local wild flowers, like a Dutch painter would set a still-life.  It’s not Persephone per se, but it’s what I try to do with my cafes-  make everything in a functional space feel beautiful. 

Three things people should do if they come to Jackson:

This will be all over the map because I don’t know the details of this traveler.  I used to have an airbnb here and I designed and printed various guides depending on your style, so I will just list a few of my personal faves.  A hike to Amphitheater lake is my go-to.  It’s a bit more strenuous than some but it’s worth the effort.  The alpine blue lake beneath the jagged peaks of the Teton Range is just exquisite.  I also love a day of fly fishing across the way in the Gros Ventures.  You get to walk in the woods, catch beautiful trout, and simply see why we live here. And finally a day in town is definitely in order.  I would recommend exploring the art galleries, a little lunch, and some shopping, but regardless of your town time preferences, you will get a taste of the West.