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Over 15 years ago, Julien Eelsen was working in corporate logistics in Dallas when he was unexpectedly laid off and given two weeks to leave the country. Back in France, he couldn’t find work that excited him. He kept thinking about Dallas, about unfinished business, about opportunity.
With no crêpe shop in the city and a longtime interest in hospitality, he saw his opening. To make his vision reality, Eelsen combined his 401k savings with a loan from his parents and personal credit. After securing the location, creating the business plan, and building the restaurant, he was ready to open up shop. In October 2015, Whisk Crêpes Café opened its doors.
A home in Bishop Arts
For Eelsen, finding the right neighborhood was important. “I always wanted to be in a walkable neighborhood,” he said. Growing up in Paris, walking was a way of life, and in Bishop Arts he found a rare Dallas neighborhood that captured that spirit. “It’s like a little village in Dallas,” he said, adding that the area’s historic preservation codes protect the buildings and maintain the neighborhood’s character.
About half of Whisk Crêpes Café’s customers discover the café while walking in the neighborhood, the other half are regulars who return for the crêpes and community. “We recognize them, we love them and they love us,” said Eelsen. Through Square data, he tracks those new and returning customers. After nearly a decade in the Bishop Arts, Eelsen has become as much a part of the neighborhood as his crêpes, greeting regulars by name and recommending other neighborhood favorites to visitors. A perfect mix of French tradition and Dallas hospitality.
Making French food feel local
While most crêpe shops in the U.S. stick to white flour, Whisk maintains French tradition by including savory galettes, using buckwheat flour imported from France. And, Eelsen isn’t afraid to experiment with local flavors. Take the Tex-French Cantina, a crêpe filled with smoked brisket, Swiss cheese, jalapeños, and salsa verde topped with mashed avocado. “I’m French but I live in Dallas,” said Eelsen. “I’ve been here for 17 years almost. So you have that influence,” explaining that items like the Tex-French Cantina include brisket smoked locally in Plano. He’s thoughtful about these adaptations, focusing on what makes a complete and compelling dish rather than creating fusion that might gain social media attention but not taste great.
This balance of tradition and local inspiration shapes the entire menu. The Monte Cristo crêpe combines Gruyère, ham, and turkey with powdered sugar, strawberry preserves, and Dijon mustard. “It’s a blend of culture and ingredients,” said Eelsen. “But that makes sense. It really makes sense.”
From cafés to food halls
After more than a decade in business, Whisk has evolved significantly. The original café opened in Sylvan 30, about two miles from their current Bishop Arts home. This year, they moved to this new space, which Eelsen had always wanted for its walkable neighborhood feel. Beyond the full-service café, Whisk also operates two food hall locations, with menus adapted to each space.
Each format serves a different purpose. While the café offers the complete French experience, including traditional buckwheat galettes, the food hall locations focus on street-style crêpes that work better for a grab-and-go format. Looking ahead, Eelsen is considering the possibility of a fourth location or expanding the catering business, but he’s thoughtful about opportunities. “If I find a good spot and if it financially makes sense and I feel something about it, I need to feel something about it, a little love about it, then we’ll follow that path,” he said. The focus for Whisk Crêpes remains on maintaining quality while understanding each market’s unique needs.
