North Beach’s Elise’s Market Faces Allegations

NORTH BEACH, Md. — In the spring of 2024, excitement filled the air as North Beach awaited the opening of Elise’s Market and Patisserie, housed in a charming lilac-painted building. Owner Patrick Gassion touted the business as a community-focused market offering locally sourced produce, freshly baked pastries, and a coffee shop. On social media, he claimed to have served as “the White House chef for Barack Obama,” a title that intrigued many.

However, early enthusiasm gave way to skepticism as questions arose about Gassion’s credibility. Official records revealed that Cristeta Comerford served as White House executive chef from 2005 until her retirement in 2024, casting doubt on Gassion’s claims.

Tensions escalated in April when Gassion accused his landlords of deliberately delaying lease formalities, allegedly preventing the market from opening as scheduled. In a social media post shared by his then-manager, Jaci Sheckels, under Gassion’s direction, he described the delay as a “cruel decision” that left employees without income after leaving their previous jobs to join Elise’s Market.

When the market finally launched in the summer of 2024, controversy followed. Gassion posted a photo on Facebook of his “culinary team,” which turned out to be staff from MariBeth’s Bakery in Alexandria, Virginia. Upon learning that Elise’s pastries were not made in-house but supplied by MariBeth’s, the bakery severed ties with him “over concerns about their cakes being stored at incorrect temperatures and falsely marketed that their creations were his own,” said Sheckels.

Gassion’s original Facebook page titled “Elise Market & Patisserie,” has since been deleted. The business now posts under a new facebook page titled, “Elise’s Market and Patisserie.”

Gassion also claimed to be the founder of the One World Foundation, a nonprofit supporting at-risk youth, ex-offenders, and homeless veterans. However, calls to the foundation’s listed numbers connected to unrelated businesses, including a medical supply company and a home improvement firm.

The market faced further scrutiny shortly after opening when it closed for two days following a visit from the Calvert County Health Department. In an interview with The BayNet on Nov. 10, 2024, Sheckels informed us that the Health Department did not mandate the closure but recommended changes to food storage procedures. Gassion temporarily shut down the market, later alleging on social media that local businesses Vaughan Cheese and The Bakist were sabotaging him. Both businesses, respected members of the community, refuted these claims, and public support for Elise’s Market dwindled.

On Nov. 10, 2024, protests erupted outside the market, with signs reading, “Be Like Your Checks and Bounce” and “Fresh Lies Baked Daily.” Jessica, a former employee, reported payroll inconsistencies, stating her final paycheck was handwritten without proper tax deductions due to Gassion’s refusal to use a payroll service. When she raised concerns about the missing pay stub, she was dismissed and removed from the payroll.

Another ex-employee alleged unpaid wages for 12 hours of work at $18 per hour. Despite assurances that a check had been mailed, they never received payment.

Sheckels, initially hired as a store manager and later promoted to “regional director,” described mounting frustrations with Gassion’s practices. Promised roles in expansion plans for Solomons and Deale—locations that never materialized—she lent Gassion more than $8,000 in May, trusting him due to previous reimbursements. Although she received partial repayment, $8,847 remained unpaid. When she pressed for the remaining amount, Gassion accused her of “just being here for the money.” After receiving bounced checks and hostile responses, Sheckels resigned in October.

Food safety concerns added to the controversy, with Sheckels alleging that employees were instructed to change expiration dates on products. Expired items removed from shelves were reportedly restocked, prompting Sheckels to repeatedly contact the Health Department during her tenure.

Elise’s Market also faces financial and legal troubles. Gassion allegedly owes payments to a former baked goods supplier, a local paving company, and major suppliers like Sysco. Records from Maryland Case Search show Gassion, under the names Patrick W. Gassion and Patrick Emmanuel Gassion, is named in 30 cases, including 21 as the defendant, with 12 cases in Calvert and St. Mary’s counties.

When asked for comment, Gassion stated: “Truth and facts will be presented in court. As a Black man chef entrepreneur, I survived worse than that in the early ’80s and ’90s in D.C. and N.Y. It’s not a former employee who threatens me to destroy my business and reputation if she doesn’t have her job back that will scare me.”

Gassion’s last remaining employee has taken to social media, claiming the backlash against Elise’s Market is racially motivated and unfairly targets a Black-owned business. These statements have further divided the community, adding another layer of controversy.

What began as an exciting new venture for North Beach has turned into a source of tension and unanswered questions. With ongoing allegations, unpaid debts, and legal battles, the future of Elise’s Market remains uncertain.

Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com