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It all starts with Vivienne.
She sits quietly on the counter inside Mademoiselle’s downtown Patchogue shop — a jar half-filled with flour and water, alive in the way only a 9-year-old sourdough starter can be. Fed daily, nurtured for nearly a decade, Vivienne, a French name that translates to “alive,” is now more than an ingredient.
As owner Michelle Gillette Kelly puts it, she’s the “sole provider” — and, in many ways, the heart — of Gillette Kelly’s reimagined bakery.
And that shift is a significant one.
After eight years as a French-inspired patisserie, Mademoiselle of Patchogue Patisserie has officially reinvented itself as a sourdough-only Bakery, focusing entirely on naturally fermented breads and baked goods. The change came quickly — sparked by the overwhelming response to the bakery’s weekly Sunday sourdough events.
“There were lines… people kept coming back every week,” Gillette Kelly told Greater Long Island, while showing off the newly revamped shop. “It felt different. It felt exciting.”
That excitement built to a turning point over Easter weekend.
“The day after Easter, I closed,” she said. “I didn’t even tell the customers — I didn’t know myself that I was going to do it. But I just said, ‘This is it.’”
Within a matter of weeks, the space — which has stayed put at its longtime 61 North Ocean Ave. location — was transformed.
Gone is the traditional patisserie setup that had been in place since the shop opened in May 2018. In its place: a warm, wheat-toned interior designed to feel natural and grounded, with the focus squarely on the bread.
Everything revolves on sourdough
Using organic flour and her long-maintained starter, Gillette Kelly produces a rotating selection that includes loaves, focaccia, scones, muffins, cinnamon buns and even hot pretzels — many of them dairy-free and vegan-friendly by design.
The process takes two days, leading to a tighter operating schedule: Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or until sold out.
“It’s still me,” she said. “It’s still the same quality. It’s just fully sourdough.”
For Gillette Kelly, who grew up in Bayport and now lives in Patchogue, the evolution reflects both experience and instinct. A former public school Spanish teacher, she left the classroom after seven years to pursue baking full-time, launching a gluten-free shop — Ms. Michelle’s — on Middle Road in Bayport before opening Mademoiselle in Patchogue nine years ago.
‘Feels right’
Altogether, she’s spent about two decades in the baking world.
“This just feels right,” she said, her bright smile widening. “It has rejuvenated me.”
Customers will still find coffee, a grab-and-go setup, and the familiar sight of Gillette Kelly baking in the front window — a feature that has long drawn passersby.
Top: Michelle Gillette Kelly stands inside Mademoiselle of Patchogue. She is reopening the reimagined Patchogue shop on May 16 as a sourdough-only bakery (Brian Harmon photo).
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