Stephanie Spear One local bakery’s creations have taken the internet by storm, thanks to their Insta-perfect cube shapes and craveable flavors. But these square-shaped croissants are more than a novelty: they result from baker Annie Pu’s classical training in French patisserie combined with years of experience in commercial bakeries. Annie is the smiling face behind Toi Moi, a local bakery based in Chantilly. The Fairfax Girl chatted with Annie to learn more about her background and the inspiration for her equally delicious and beautiful treats. Read on for more with Annie Pu of Toi Moi Bakery.
About Annie
Shurou “Annie” Pu has fun with the pastries she creates for Toi Moi, but she is a bona fide pastry chef. In 2015, Annie left her native China to study pastry at Ferrandi Paris, an internationally renowned culinary school. “I spent a year in France doing intensive training, and then an internship,” she said. Annie returned to China, with a goal to keep exploring and see more of the world. She focused on her next career step, which turned out to be taking a job in Manhattan.
“I came to the US in 2018 to work for Maison Keyser, a French bakery in New York City,” she said. While in NYC, Annie met her now-husband, Gabriel Santos, who was in the catering industry. After some time in NYC, Annie applied for a job at Maison Keyser’s then-incoming DC locations. She and Gabriel moved to the DC area in 2020 and landed in Fairfax City.
Image courtesy of Toi Moi Bakery
Maison Kesyer declared bankruptcy in 2020 and closed the DC locations. At this point, Annie decided to try doing her own thing. “I started doing a few pop-ups and markets in 2021 and grew from there,” she said. Annie combined her French training with her Chinese-influenced palate to create one-of-a-kind treats. “I did my first farmers market in Fairfax City,” she said. “After that, one market grew to two, then to four, and 2025 is our fourth year in business.”
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Now, Toi Moi Bakery has a commercial kitchen in Chantilly that is open to customers two to three days a week, and the team participates in farmers’ markets and special events weekly. The best way to find Toi Moi is via the bakery’s social media, which is frequently updated with Annie’s latest creations and the team’s plans for markets and special events each week.
Annie says that as much as she likes to bake, she loves customer interactions. “I love to see people who come all the way to our bakery, or to see us at the farmers market to purchase croissants. You can get a pastry anywhere else but I think the unique thing is our flavors, our input, creativity,” she said. “I’m grateful for whoever comes to purchase croissants from us. I enjoy it very much.”
Image courtesy of Toi Moi Bakery
“This is something I wanted to do all my life. I got into the business without thinking about the outcome – didnt think about earnings, etc. I mostly am doing this because I always wanted to bake.” Annie said. She also credits the community for much of her success. “This community is really loving and supportive. I’ve gotten a lot of love and support from everyone who buys croissants for me,” she said. “It’s kept me going for [the past] three years. All the community and the customers who have purchased have made my dream come true.”
About Toi Moi
Toi Moi describes itself as an Asian-inspired French bakery and that fusion is apparent through all of its offerings. Classic buttery, flakey croissants are the main feature of the bakery, and Annie says it’s because of the dough’s versatility. “ Croissants are so interesting because they require a lot of technique, but it creates a material that you can really play around with,” she said. “Sweet savory, or fruity stuff. You can play around. I like to invent new flavors. I like to collab with other people. It’s so interesting.”
The menu is inspired by the seasons and Annie’s Chinese heritage. “A lot of times I’ll think about what festival or seasonal celebration is happening in China,” she said. Several flavors from Annie’s childhood have also played a big role in Toi Moi’s menu. These flavors, such as red bean and mung bean, attract many customers to Toi Moi. “Flavors like red bean, mung bean flavor connect to a lot of people through the Asian American community,” she said. “I think the flavor I created connected a lot of people with their culture, their childhood.”
Annie is also inspired by what she sees at local farmers markets. “I want to feature farm produce and I always get stuff from the farmers market,” she said. “I want to see what’s in season.” For example, a summer market-inspired flavor is a croissant with pesto, tomatoes, basil, and cheese, highlighting local produce picked at its peak. A strawberry rhubarb kougin amann and a cherry blossom croissant have been other seasonal treats.
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Despite working with pastries for almost a decade, Annie says that she prefers savory flavors. “I really like savory, or anything with spicy flavors,” she said. Her favorite flavor of her croissant creations is black sesame and matcha. Even at home, Annie likes to get her hands on things in the kitchen. “I like to eat Chinese food when I’m not working. I make dumplings, noodles from scratch, and make my own chili oil,” she said. “It relaxes me. I still like to be in the kitchen at my house. I like to do everything by hand and create it. Smell the food, look at it, see how the food works. It makes me happy. People enjoy my food and I enjoy the process.”
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Annie and her team, which now includes her husband Gabriel, work all week to produce enough inventory for the weekend markets. In addition to regular weekly markets, the Toi Moi team regularly participates in pop-up markets and special events throughout the area. Often, these special events are opportunities for Annie to collaborate with other culinary creatives in the area, such as a crookie (croissant x cookie mashup) creation with Yume Asian Fusion, another Fairfax County bakery.
Annie + the Toi Moi Bakery can be found at the Chantilly bakery, at several local farmers markets other special events and festivals. The best way to stay up-to-date with the bakery is to follow on Instagram.
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