CNIElL (Centre National Interprofessionel de l’Economie Laitiere), the umbrella organization for the French dairy industry has organised a series of events with Chef’s from across Asia and the Middle East. The events are to showcase the creams of Europe and their quality and versatility. On the 18 and 19 July the chefs were at Singapore’s Sunrice GlobalChef Academy to take part in the ‘St Honoré, Your Way’ event.
The St. Honoré is a classic French pastry dessert, traditionally made with a base of puff pastry a ring of glazed choux buns all topped with a cream filling. No classic goes without being redesigned sometime though. Each chef was invited to create their own unique take on the classic dish incorporating their own choice of ingredients. The ingredients representing the region they are from.
Each chef delivered individual interpretations with the following signature ingredients:
Singapore Local Chef Pang Kok Keong, Pastry Chef at Antoinette and three-time Winner of ‘Pastry Chef of the Year’ chosen pandan as his distinct ingredient.
Chef Zhe Wei HUNG of Taiwan is Executive Chef of Pâtisserie La 15ème & L’appart in Taipei and chose to incorporate ingredients from his and the cream’s country of origin by using lychee from Taiwan and elderflower from Europe.
Director and Executive Pastry Chef of Patisserie Jeffery Koo / Headmaster of ChocoKoo Cooking Studio in Hong Kong, Jeffrey KOO Ka Chun went with matcha as his ingredient.
From China, Terry Wang the Pastry Chef at Park Hyatt Ningbo added a citrus component to the dish with mandarin.
Korean Hyunhee Lee, Chef and Owner of DesserTree and Meringue Meringue also opted for citrus selecting yuzu.
Cherry, rose and hibiscus were the chosen additions of Ludovic Audaux (United Arab Emirates), Executive Pastry Chef at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Al Habtoor City Complex.
Saudi Arabain celebrity chef Mona Mosly, a Judge on Top Chef Arabia and Chef at Adel Abuljadayel Flight Catering bringing Middle Eastern flair with her selected three ingredients: baklava, orange blossom and pistachios.
Frederic Oger, Co-owner and Managing Director at Pastry Institute of St Honoré in Malaysia, brought classic Malaysian sweet flavours with gula melaka and coconuts.
Bringing the flavours of the Indonesian layer cake, Chef Gerald Maridet (Indonesia) the Executive Pastry Chef of Pullman in Jakarta incorporated kueh lapis spices.
The nine chefs certainly met the brief, transforming the St Honoré into their own flavoursome creations. As well as flavoursome they were a visual feast also, each being meticulously crafted to look as good as they taste. While fans of the traditional St. Honoré may not have recognised some of the creative interpretations of the dish, nobody could deny the creation of some delicious delights.
