History
The Pastisseria Gironès in Sant Feliu de Guíxols opened to the public in 1962. Its owner, Albert Gironès Costa, after a long and successful professional history, wanted to settle in his hometown, but first we explain his long journey to reach this milestone.
He began his career at the Hostal la Gavina in S'Agaró in 1945. Two years later, he joined the Viuda Pagès “Can Plácido” pastry shop as an assistant at a time – the end of the Spanish Civil War – when basic necessities were not available.
After a while he saw that this was his job and Sant Feliu de Guíxols was too small for him; that's how he started working in a prestigious pastry shop in Barcelona. Years later, at the age of 26, he was offered a job at the well-known Pastisseria La Lyonesa on Porta Ferrissa Street as a first-class officer. He immediately became part of the guild group and a teacher at the pastry school located in Vall Doreix and at the same school in Barcelona. For a few years he went to the School of Fine Arts to learn to paint and model.
In 1955 the Barcelona guild called a provincial competition, in which he came first, winning the gold medal. In June he went to Madrid to compete in a national competition. There he came first again, therefore becoming Spanish champion in this specialty. As a prize he received a gold medal, a cup and a diploma awarded by the Head of State himself at the Palacio de la Zarzuela. He also received a cash prize.
In 1958, the Brussels World Expo was held and he was sent, along with two other professional colleagues, for a whole week as Spain's representative in the food pavilion, exhibiting his works in the showcases of the stand. That was the year he married his beloved Montserrat Domènech, whom he met while working in his brother's pastry shop, in the Sant Andreu neighborhood of Barcelona.
From that year on, he participated in a series of courses and taught at schools outside Catalonia, also participating in artistic pastry competitions... and obtaining countless recognitions and awards.
On June 9, 1962, after much work on the chosen premises, he inaugurated the pastry shop in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, at 18 Sant Joan Street. In front of the shop, his wife Montserrat, along with 4 or five other people between the shop and the workshop.
In 1973, the transfer to the new premises was formalized, located at Anselm Clavé Street number 7. The costly works and renovations lasted eight months. On December 7, 1974, the new pastry shop was inaugurated. From then on, it was possible to work more comfortably, since the new premises were larger and more services could be offered.
The son Albert had already joined the workshop two years earlier. In 1978 he married Mariona and she also joined the shop's office. The daughter, Montse Gironès, was also in the business for a long time.
That same year, his fourth book was published, entitled “Color and flavor of cakes”, published by Montagut Editores.
On February 25, 1991, in an event held at the Tecnoalimentaria salon, the magazine La Confitería Española presented him with the gold pen as an honorary collaborator for 40 years writing and publishing in this magazine.
In 2004, when the son decided not to continue with the profession and he was already 73 years old, they transferred the business to the great professional Lluis Chamorro and his wife Fina Pla.
Let us note the main awards achieved by Albert Gironès Costa in his pastry shops:
- 1955 – Barcelona. Skill competition in the trade. 1st prize, gold medal.
- 1955 – Madrid. National competition 1st prize, gold medal, diploma and cash prize.
- 1957 – Barcelona. Showcase competition. Diploma and bronze medal.
- 1958 – Brussels. International expo. Gold medal and diploma.
- 1959 – London. International expo. Collective gold medal.
- 1960 – Madrid. National expo Diploma and silver medal.
- 1961 – Nice. International expo. Gold medal and diploma.
- 1961 – Barcelona. Easter bunny competition. 2nd prize Silver medal and cash prize.
- 1962 – Stockholm. International expo. Diploma and gold medal.
- 1963 – Paris. Concession of the title and diploma of Aitre Patissier from the Gastronomic Club Prosper Montagne.
- 1967 – Lisbon. International expo. Diploma and gold medal.
- 1970 – Málaga. Congress and international exhibition. Diploma and gold medal.
- 1971 – Barcelona. Plaque of the provincial union for merits as a teacher.
- 1972 – Tarragona. Congress of the Skal Club. Bronze medal and trophy.
- 1976 – Barcelona alimentaria 76. Diploma and silver medal.
- 1979 – Valencia. Maicop Fair. Artistic work: gold medal. Typical pasta: bronze medal.
- 1981 – Barcelona. Participation in Expo Catalunya. Medal and diploma.
- 1983 – Madrid. International expo. Diploma and bronze medal.
- 1984 – Leon. International expo. 2nd prize Silver medal and diploma.
- 1985 – Tarragona. International expo and congress. 1st prize Gold medal and diploma.
- 1987 – Valencia. International expo. 1st extraordinary prize and diploma.
Albert Gironès has all these trophies on display in his studio, together with paintings and photographs, as well as his 62 professional books from the Library made over the years of Spanish and foreign books, as well as his five published books:
- 1959 “Piezas de pastelería”.
- 1962 “Decoración de centros”.
- 1973 “Profesión”.
- 1984 “Sabor y color de las tartas”. 1998 2nd edition renewed.
- 1993 "Cómo aprender a decorar con el aerógrafo". Book more cassette to project.
