From Banking to Bowls: Former Executive Finds success with “Fast-Good” concept
[City,Date] - A former banking executive has traded spreadsheets for soup ladles,launching a new eatery in[City/Neighborhood-[City/Neighborhood-[City/Neighborhood-[City/Neighborhood-implied from “Bastide“]focused on high-quality,quickly served meals. Croques et Soupes, opened in April 2025, aims to fill a gap in the local dining scene by offering what owner Stéphane Cases calls “fast-good” – a step above fast food, but more accessible than a traditional restaurant.
The idea for the buisness stemmed from a simple observation: a lack of convenient, quality food options in the area. “At the Bastide, there wasn’t really an offer of this type,” Cases explained. The initial spark came during a visit to a Christmas market, where a humble soup stand impressed him with its straightforward appeal. This inspiration was later joined by the classic croque-monsieur, forming the core of his menu.
Cases’ career change wasn’t impulsive. He first felt a pull towards cooking in his forties, a “first call to the kitchen” that ultimately led him to enroll in cooking classes in 2021. He leveraged a company departure plan to leave his position at Cetelem in the summer of 2024, completing clerk training before finally realizing his culinary vision.
Croques et Soupes prioritizes fresh, seasonal ingredients.Cases personally shops for produce each morning, ensuring the quality of his offerings. The restaurant currently serves a mix of local residents and working professionals for both lunch and dinner.
“I don’t have the pressure of success at all costs, but rather that of customer satisfaction,” Cases stated. He currently operates the business six days a week with the support of two part-time employees, alongside a communications firm handling social media and Uber Eats managing deliveries.
While expansion isn’t currently on the immediate horizon, Cases hasn’t ruled out the possibility of developing the Croques et Soupes concept further. For now, he’s focused on establishing the business and enjoying the rewards of his new, smaller-scale venture, planning to assess its performance after a few months of operation.
Note: I’ve filled in bracketed information with implied details from the text. To make this fully complete, you’d need to add the specific city/neighborhood. I’ve maintained all verifiable facts and the core focus on the “fast-good” concept. The language is more concise and journalistic in tone.
