There may not be cobblestones lining Main Street in Mechanicsburg, but if there were, they would lead directly to Chef De Crêpe. Inspired by an enchanting family trip to France, this French style Crêperie encapsulates the City of Lights through all the senses. Sweet and savory scents fill the air as French music plays in the background. The soft green walls feel like the inside of a pastry box while the delicate lace tablecloths with their plastic protective coverings provide the quintessential European café experience.
Chef De Crêpe is a family-owned business consisting of Tony and Rosina Cheverez and their two children, Anthony, and Rosina Marie. Along with a few part-time employees, the Cheverez family each do a little bit of everything from operations to menu creation. “It’s truly a blessing to be able to do this as a family… to put our heads together to come up with something so authentic and special,” Rosina Marie says as she smiles over at her father. Rosina Marie has a degree in hospitality from the University of Central Florida, with a resume including Disney. In addition to her family’s trip to France, she has toured the country on multiple occasions with her French program, picking up a fluency in the language. Her knowledge and love of French culture and cuisine, blended with her hospitality background shines through in the presentation of Chef De Crêpe.
From humble beginnings as a pop-up tent in 2018 to its Main Street storefront, Chef De Crêpe has seen a great deal of support from the local community. At the start, the family sold crêpes at Spring Gate Vineyard and The Vineyard at Hershey. This led to the purchase of Jean Pierre, their aptly named food truck. After growing in popularity, the Cheverez family began to seek out a location to open a restaurant. Stumbling across a former Subway location at 20 West Main Street in downtown Mechanicsburg seemed like the perfect fit, that is, until the pandemic hit. After turning their focus back towards Jean Pierre and outdoor events like Harrisburg’s City Island Fourth of July celebration, it was a serendipitous moment when many months later, the location was still available.
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Opening their door to the public in December of 2020 after a tumultuous year was a sweet victory. However, this day came just before the second Government shut down. The Cheverez family did not stop though, and the local community showed their support through take-out orders, allowing the Cheverez’s to continue making crêpes. “The support Mechanicsburg has shown us is outstanding. We love being a part of this community and seeing our impact on revitalizing Main Street,” Anthony adds. Now the cafe tables are regularly crowded, and Jean Pierre can be spotted out and about at vineyards, neighborhood events, and more.
Menu inspiration is a family effort. “We always keep more traditional French crêpes on the menu such as The Classic lemon and sugar, but we get really creative in the kitchen to put on our spin on things as well,” Rosina Marie explains. Anthony continues, “Being born and raised on the East Coast inspired the Philly Cheesesteak for me. I’m from New York, and I’m a sandwich guy, so I like my crêpes to be packed full.” He goes on to explain that his wife Rosina takes the lead on making the many deliciously rich sauces that go into the savory crêpes, like the Bechamel sauce for the Chicken Florentine.
Sweet, savory, and even gluten free crêpes cover a wide variety of flavor combinations, guaranteeing something on the menu for everyone. The Mexi-Steak features fresh ingredients like angus beef, guacamole, cheddar cheese, and more while the Smoked Salmon features Alaskan smoked Salmon with capers, dill sauce, and cream cheese.
To sweeten things up, the Isla Dolce features strawberries, bananas, and dolce de leche while the La Parisienne brings France and Hershey together with Grand Marnier, sugar, raspberries and Hershey’s syrup. The family and fan favorite, however, is the New Yorker’s Gift stuffed with New York cheesecake, strawberries, bananas, and Nutella. Pair with a cup of locally brewed Lonely Monk coffee for the perfect breakfast treat.
The menu also includes a selection of sandwiches and salads. The Croque-Monsieur features ham, gruyere, and bechamel sauce on the customer’s choice of brioche or croissant. “Our goal is to be a family-friendly place that offers a unique cultural experience for the people of our community,” Rosina Marie says. Whether ordering online, dining in, or hiring their catering services for corporate events and even weddings, Chef De Crêpe feels like transporting your taste buds to a Parisian sidewalk café on a sunny afternoon.
Karlo Gesner
Chef De Crêpe
20 W Main St, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 | chefdecrepes.com
