Celebrity Life

Gontran Cherrier is a French baker who wears many hats: pastry chef, TV show host, cookbook author and businessman.

But of course he's not wearing any hats in reality, because it'd be a shame to mess up that perfectly tousled brown hair of his. Fondly nicknamed the 'Brad Pitt of the baking world', he's the sort of baker that has fans who sigh longingly while watching him roll croissants for hours. And I'm not just talking about staring at his boyish good looks, I'm talking about that croissant -- with its crispy, golden shell revealing creamy, butter-scented layers of pillowy soft pastry -- that people willingly queue for.

[caption id="attachment_167285" align="alignnone" width="1500"] Gontran Cherrier is a French baker, pastry chef, TV show host, cookbook author and businessman.[/caption]

A fourth-generation baker with experience alongside French chef Alain Passard of three-Michelin-starred L'Arpège and the late Alain Senderens' Lucas Carton, Cherrier has taken his artisan boulangerie empire across the world, with outposts in France, Australia, America, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, Thailand and now, Hong Kong. It's his 57th bakery to open, and it's located on the B2 basement floor of the cultural-retail emporium that is K11 Musea. It's a big project, too, with an all-day restaurant, café, retail bake shop and bakery production section in the new mall.

So how does Cherrier do it all? We met him at his new bakery to find out and yes, came away with a few many croissants. Bon appétit!

In your own words, how would you describe your baking?

Family style. I'm a fourth-generation baker and in the beginning, I learnt how to bake from my father. When I grew up, I spent a lot of time in my grandparents' bakery. So I get a lot of inspiration from those memories with them. I also really like to use traditional items, a French pastry or bread, and then mix it up with flavours from overseas, like matcha, or even miso [which he uses in his specialty miso rye bread]. I will identify a popular flavour in that country and try to combine them -- make a bridge between the two countries and the two flavours.

Sometimes, I will also make special items: a traditional national pastry and then add a little French touch. For example in Japan, I made melon pan [a sweet Japanese melon-like bun] and added my [French] touch. So that's the other way around. But I really need to spend a lot of time in the country to understand. And then step by step, I can extend my range like this.

So other than your family, who else has inspired you in your baking?

I would say Pierre Hermé. We've known each other for some time and when I opened my shops, he came to visit. He is a really great master for me, so I get a lot of inspiration from him, too. Even when I was young, he inspired me. When I was maybe 16 years old, I discovered his work through Ladurée [who are known for their macarons] so it was quite a few years back.

What is your favourite bread or pastry?

My favourite bread is a traditional French baguette. I also really like sourdough. As for pastry, my favourite is a plain croissant. For me, that's the best because I love eating it with a coffee. That's the best pairing in my opinion.

[caption id="attachment_167283" align="alignnone" width="1843"] The raspberry cloud croissant is exclusive to Hong Kong.[/caption]

How do you make a good croissant?

Get good ingredients. The raw materials are important. You need to select a good butter to get a good fermentation and a good bake. A good croissant has crispiness -- a very crunchy outside and soft inside. To get that, you need quality flour, too. On top of that is the perfect baking time and temperature -- it's not about the oven, though. In fact the most important thing is skill. I have many shops around the world and in some of them, I have different ovens, so we need to adapt to whichever oven we're using.

I know exactly what I want in terms of consistency, texture and appearance, so my team and I adapt to achieve that. Sometimes, it's difficult and takes a long time. The hardest place to do that was Australia actually. I don't know why! But it took us a long time to adapt.

Why do you love baking so much?

It's my life. I like touching flour, touching the dough. I also really like to eat bread and croissants. It's as simple as that.

Why did it take you this long to come to Hong Kong?

I wanted a good partnership with someone in Hong Kong, and it was very difficult to find. With K11, we had a really good opportunity and the project is amazing. To have something like this, with the four different sections, is amazing.

[caption id="attachment_167281" align="alignnone" width="1500"] Cherrier at his masterclass in his new Hong Kong bakery at K11 Musea.[/caption]

Have you come across any challenges yet?

Finding the right orientation of the different sections is difficult [right now]. And the explanation needs work. We need to explain to our customers so they understand where to go for what. You need to go there [to the retail bake shop] to get your breads, or there [the café] for your coffee and pastries, or there [the restaurant] for your lunch and dinner. We need to spend more days, more weeks, more months to get this right.

Have you tried any Hong Kong pastries? Anything that took your fancy?

I've only been here a week, so I haven't tried too much, but I like traditional lotus paste mooncakes. I have also tried and really like egg tarts -- the flavour and the texture, it's really good.

Will you be adapting any breads or pastries for Hong Kong tastes? 

Of course! One of them will be the 'Victoria Peak'. It will be a croissant dough, made like a peak and I will fill it with a lot of space so I can pipe jasmine or chrysanthemum tea syrup and lotus paste.

[caption id="attachment_167287" align="alignnone" width="1426"] The different pastries available at Gontran Cherrier.[/caption]

What have you got planned for your next step in worldwide domination?

Next month we will open in Saudi Arabia, after that Argentina. And then at the beginning of 2020, it'll be the USA -- in the San Francisco area. So there's a lot going on.

Are there any differences between bakeries in France and the bakeries in Asia? 

Day after day, the difference is reducing. Because these days you have a lot of Asian bakeries that look like French bakeries, so it's the combination of everything that makes an international bakery now. As for customers, each country is different. In some countries, they might prefer softer, or sweeter.

It depends which country you're in, but in general, I would say that most Asians don't like it too sweet. So, I try to reduce the amount of sweetness. Even for me, I prefer less sweet. Another thing I have noticed is that more and more Asians like European breads, like sourdough, too. Their palates have developed a liking for this taste as well.

What are your top three best-selling products in Hong Kong?

1. Croissant, the plain traditional type.
2. Almond croissant, filled with frangipane and topped with almond flakes.
3. Kouign-amann, pronounced queen-ah-mahn, a round multi-layered cake originating from Brittany.

The post Worldwide Pastry Domination: Gontran Cherrier Opens His French Bakery in Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is one of the world’s most exciting culinary capitals, where good food is more than abundant. In that light, we’ve put together a few of our tastiest tidbits and most memorable morsels that are worth tracking down to try.

Sushi Zo

This LA-born Japanese restaurant is another of Tai Kwun's recent openings to hit Hong Kong's lively dining scene. Having found success in Tokyo and Bangkok, along with some coveted Michelin stars in Los Angeles and New York, Sushi Zo is another Japanese omakase concept to join a plethora of others. But is it a welcome addition? Well, try the otoro and we think you'll find the answer. Caught fresh from the seas off Nagasaki, this nigiri uses unctuous fatty tuna which is seared, ever so slightly, and topped with Australian winter truffle. The layer of nutty earthiness it adds is one thing, but the way it finishes clean in your mouth is another. It's an excellent, and really rather clever, piece of sushi.

Sushi Zo, LG1/F, Block 01, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2884 0114

The Legacy House

If you read our Rosewood Hong Kong hotel review, then you'll know that we loved most of the food at their Chinese restaurant The Legacy House. In fact, we've been meaning to return as we can't stop thinking about one particular dish: stewed water bamboo shoots with conpoy, dried shrimp and Chinese celery. Seemingly simple, the dish plays with the textures of finely shredded bamboo shoots, firm and meaty dried shrimps, and crunchy slices of celtuce. But it's the fish broth itself that will stun you: Rich, flavourful and almost creamy, you won't want to miss one drop of this beauty.

The Legacy House, 5/F Rosewood Hong Kong Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong; +852 3891 8732

La Rambla by Catalunya

There are many reasons to visit sleek Spanish restaurant La Rambla by Catalunya in ifc mall -- weekend brunch and the new terrace for alfresco cocktails, amongst them -- but there's also one more reason: the eel & foie dish. Here, soft and meaty smoked eel is enveloped in thin and perfectly al dente pillows of homemade ravioli before being served with creamy carbonara and pan-fried foie gras. It's part of the Chef’s Table degustation experience in which the menu evolves from season to season. My advice? Go now before it's taken off the menu!

La Rambla by Catalunya, 3071-73 Level 3, ifc mall, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2661 1161

Nectar

Chef Peggy Chan's newest venture, Nectar, has officially opened its doors (it's in the same space that Grassroots Pantry was in) and offers progressive plant-based cuisine to Hong Kong's discerning diners. And with dishes such as a vegan cheese course and purslane (a type of succulent) fettuccine, it's no wonder we're all a little intrigued. One particular dish I would recommend to try is the 'faux gras', that's right -- faux not foie -- gras cream combined with local organic figs, crunchy water bamboo and tangy sorrel leaves. Made from raw cashews, tahini, raw cacao butter, miso and a little bit of brandy and truffle oil for fragrance, the faux gras is just as luscious and buttery as the real deal. Plus, no ducks were harmed in the making of this dish.

Nectar, G/F, Centrestage, 108 Hollywood Rd, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong; +852 2873 3353

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Sichuan Lab

Yes, some of the dishes at Sichuan Lab are indeed fiery, but others focus more on region's variety of flavour -- be it peppery, salty, bitter, sweet or sour. One such dish is the pan-fried pork dumplings filled with pepper. With this dish, chef Chan Kai Tak uses the Cambodian 'king of pepper', otherwise known as the Kampot pepper, which is extremely rare thanks to the difficulty in harvesting mature peppercorns and ia often exorbitantly priced. It's combined with juicy cuts of Sichuan cured pork, wrapped in pastry and topped with sesame seeds -- a refreshing and less mouth-numbing way to enjoy Sichuan cuisine.

Sichuan Lab, G/F, Lodgewood by L’hotel Wan Chai Hong Kong, 28 Tai Wo Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852 3126 6633

Old Bailey

Not that we needed another excuse to order a bowl of noodles at Jiangnan restaurant Old Bailey, but here it is -- the clams hand-pulled noodles with chilli. This comforting and traditional serving of noodles is dressed in a slightly sweet and savoury chilli sauce which adds a good spice kick to the delicate strands of noodles. It's then topped with the sweet and briny morsels of seafood to add flavour and bite to the whole dish. If you like seafood and noodles, then there is no doubt that this is the dish for you.

Old Bailey, 2/F JC Contemporary, Tai Kwun, Old Bailey Street, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2877 8711

Meats

If you haven't been yet, then you might like to know that Meats is a restaurant that offers, you guessed it, meats. But it's not just any old meat. From rotisserie chicken to grilled hanger steak, pork ribs to lamb shoulder, Meats promises juicy, tender meat across the board. In fact, they also introduce special cuts on the restaurant’s board daily, which is a great opportunity to taste a range of different kinds. We opted for the Iberian porchetta, which was cooked to perfection and sliced to serve with crunchy pork cracking and a delightfully herbaceous green salsa that perfectly cut through all the rich meat.

Meats, G/F 28 – 30, Staunton Street, Soho, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2711 1812

Avobar

Avocados are the golden fruit of global trade thanks to a Millennial obsession with avocado toast, so it's no wonder that avocado-themed restaurants like Avobar (originally from London) have hit our food capital, too. Another new concept in the cultural-retail destination K11 Musea, Avobar's menu is full of toasts, buns, pancakes, salads and even cocktails that feature the nutrient-dense superfood. During the soft opening, we enjoyed a dish that is exclusive to Hong Kong -- the pasilla chilli and mushroom risotto with miso zuke cod -- which combines into a creamy and umami-rich dish that, amazingly, still feels healthy to eat.

Avobar, Shop B201-4, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

The post The Top 8 Dishes We Ate in September 2019 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Culled from Hong Kong’s always-hot dining scene, here are some of the most exciting menus to try this month. Be prepared for chef takeovers, collaborations melding divergent cuisines and seasonal specials -- these one-off opportunities are not to be missed.

New Seasonal Menu at Aulis

[caption id="attachment_167381" align="alignnone" width="533"] Grille Salad, Aulis.[/caption]

When: Now until October 31
Price: HK$1,480 +10%; Wine pairing +HK$680 +10%

British chef Simon Rogan has steadily won over hearts and stomachs citywide with his private fine dining concept Aulis and its casual contemporary counterpart Roganic. As autumn sets in, Chef Rogan is excited to share his new menu which takes advantage of seasonal ingredients found only at this time of year, both locally and abroad. His signature tartlets get a makeover with local baby Spanish mackerel with carrot purée and pickled apple, while other new dishes include Hokkaido scallop barbecued in its shell and served with smoked pike perch roe; and buttermilk, cherry custard and rosemary caramel served with hibiscus kombucha syrup.

Aulis, UG/F, Sino Plaza, 255 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay; +852 2817 8383

Furs, Feathers & Iode Wild Game Menu at Écriture

[caption id="attachment_167527" align="alignnone" width="853"] Yari Ika Farci Hare, Écriture.[/caption]

When: Now until October 31
Price: HK$2,288 + 10%

Chef Maxime Gilbert, of two Michelin-starred Écriture, is back at it again with his annual wild game menu just as we roll into the thick of hunting season. And this year, the fresh game from France and England is designed to pair with seasonal Japanese seafood to strike a beautiful balance that brings out the flavours of these seasonal ingredients. The 10-course menu features rare proteins such as grouse, hare, katsuo fish, partridge, spear squid and doe, while seasonal accompaniments including persimmon and white truffles add that extra touch of autumn as we adjust to the colder months. The Furs, Feathers & Iode menu is available a la carte for lunch and as a tasting menu for dinner.

Écriture, 26/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 2795 5996

New Seasonal Menu at Senti

[caption id="attachment_167383" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Monkfish with leek, foie gras and cep, Senti.[/caption]

When: Now until October 31
Price: HK$880 +10%

Newcomer to the Hong Kong dining scene is Senti, a contemporary European restaurant dedicated to redefining the traditional fine dining experience by offering a more relaxed ambiance and innovative menu. Helmed by Chef Alex Law who previously earned recognition with Ryne, the fine dining, Chef’s Hat-rated restaurant he opened in Melbourne with partner Donovan Cooke. Senti offers seasonal tasting menus using ingredients sourced locally and from France and across Europe. The Hong Kong debut introduces a six-course tasting menu, demonstrating his sophisticated culinary skills with dishes like octopus with chorizo and capsicum, lobster with daikon, grape and cappuccino, and monkfish with leek and foie gras.

Senti, 3/F, Parekh House, 63 Wyndham Street, Central; +852 2668 4088

Pierre

[caption id="attachment_167384" align="alignnone" width="4912"] Chef Pierre Gagnaire, Pierre.[/caption]

When: October 7 to 12
Price: HK$1,988 + 10%

Legendary chef Pierre Gagnaire returns to his two Michelin-starred restaurant Pierre at Mandarin Oriental to present his signature Italian dishes from his Italian restaurant Piero TT to Hong Kong. The seven course degustation menu includes veal and white truffle paste ravioli, Blue lobster risotto, veal chop Milanese-style with artichoke salad, and of course, the most iconic Italian dessert: tiramisu with burrata ice cream. These special dishes are also available à la carte.

Pierre, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Centra, Central; +852 2825 4001

Chef Bo Bech for PDT Hong Kong

[caption id="attachment_167385" align="alignnone" width="4480"] Geist Spicy Harissa Hotdog, PDT.[/caption]

When: October 8 to 14
Price: Average spending starts at approximately HK$350

When at PDT, it’s almost customary to treat yourself to a little sinful snacking – and by that we mean the speakeasy’s bar menu of hotdogs. This October, cookbook writer and TV Chef Bo Bech will be joining master mixologist Jim Meehan in Hong Kong for the last series of the bar’s star-studded hotdog series for 2019. New to the menu is Bech’s Geist Spicy Harisssa Hotdog -- a loaded grilled pork dog topped with his own take of harissa using sweet red peppers, red chilli pepper, red onion, garlic, coriander seeds, cumin and piment d’espelette garnished with coriander. The special hotdog series pays tribute to the first PDT in NYC which has a history of innovative culinary collaboration. Meanwhile, mixologist Jim Meehan will also bring exciting and imaginative cocktails to wash down the American staple food.

PDT, Landmark Mandarin Oriental, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 2132 0033

6 Hands Menu at Casa Lisboa Gastronomia Portuguesa

[gallery ids="167389,167390,167387"]

When: October 9
Price: HK$880 +10%; Wine pairing +HK$480 +10%

Three chefs from three cultures join together for one night only in a very special culinary collaboration. Chef Fábio Pombo of Casa Lisboa will be joined by Angelo Vecchio of Porterhouse and Jesus Pascual of Olé to present a combined effort of Portuguese, Italian and Spanish influences. The six-course, six-hands dinner is composed of the best dishes from each of the chefs and comes together in a curated menu that highlights the freshest seasonal ingredients and each chef’s unique cooking style.

Casa Lisboa, 2/F, Parekh House, 63 Wyndham Street, Central; +852 2905 1168

Guest Chef Bee of Paste at Mandarin Oriental

[caption id="attachment_167391" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Australian trout choo chee curry, Paste.[/caption]

When: The Krug Room October 16 & 17, Man Wah October 18 & 19
Price: The Krug Room HK$2,888 + 10% (includes to glasses of Krug Grande Cuvée 167ème Édition and a glass of Krug Vintage 2004); Man Wah HK$1,888 + 10%

Chef Bongkoch ‘Bee’ Satongun of Paste Bangkok needs no introduction. Ranked 28 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2019 for her innovative Thai cuisine, and Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2018, chef Bee has made her name a prominent one in the culinary world. Having collaborated in Hong Kong previously, this time, she returns as resident chef at the prestigious Krug Room, where she will be presenting a nine-course menu for two nights.

Following her chef takeover at the private dining space, she will be partnering with chef Wing-Keung Wong of Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Man Wah. The pair will be designing a menu with each chef serving five of their own dishes to create a harmonious marriage of flavours from their respective cuisine. Dishes not to be missed include the flower crab with Chumporn roasted shrimp paste by chef Bee and steamed and sautéed egg with lobster, sea urchin and mini goldfish dumpling by chef Wong.

The Krug Room, Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central; +852 2825 4014   

Man Wah, Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central; +852 2825 4003

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World's 50 Best Rank 1 Chef Colagerco at Grill 58

[caption id="attachment_167392" align="alignnone" width="853"] Chef Mauro Colagreco, Mirazur.[/caption]

When: October 18 to 20
Price: Approximately MOP$2,000 +10%

It’s not often that a chance to enjoy the world’s finest European dining comes by. This October, the legendary Italian-Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur in Menton will pay a visit to MGM Cotai to showcase his dishes driven by quality seasonal ingredients and Mediterranean inspired cuisine. Awarded three Michelin stars and ranked first in World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2019, chef Colagreco’s visit is one of the most anticipated guest chef visits in Macau this year. His menu will include Poultry velouté in green curry with crayfish, Char-grilled carabineros with chicken supreme, beurre blanc sauce and trout eggs, and Aveyron lamb rack with eggplants and anchovies.

Grill 58, MGM Cotai, Avenida da Nave Desportiva, Cotai, Macau; +853 8806 2318

Chef Bruno Oger of La Villa Archange at Gaddi’s

[caption id="attachment_167393" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Iced Fennel with Anise, La Villa Archange.[/caption]

When: October 21 & 22
Price: Lunch ranges from HK$1,288 to HK$2, 688 + 10%; Dinner HK$2,688 + 10%

French chef Bruno Oger, who earned two Michelin stars for La Villa Archange, takes his Mediterranean and Brittany influenced-cuisine to Gaddi’s in a collaboration with chef Albin Goblin. The two will join forces to offer a menu focused on modern interpretations of refined French classic gastronomy with fresh ingredients and delicate flavours. Chef Oger will be in Hong Kong for both lunch and dinner services, and diners can choose from four to seven courses at lunch and a seven-course prix fixe degustation menu in the evening.

Gaddi’s, The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; +852 2696 6763

Guest Chef Gordon Leung of Shangri-La Group at Shang Palace

[caption id="attachment_167394" align="alignnone" width="2652"] Deep-fried Stuffed Crab Meat in Shell, Shang Palace.[/caption]

When: October 24
Price: HK$1,600 + 10%

With his recent appointment as Corporate Chinese Executive Chef at Shangri-La Group, chef Gordon Leung lends over 30 years of culinary experience to a very special four hands dinner with Chef Daniel Cheung of Shang Palace at Kowloon Shangri-La. The duo will deliver an expertly curated menu of Cantonese and classic Chinese cuisine in the form of their signature dishes. The dishes are prepared and cooked in a way to emphasise the original flavours of the premium seasonal ingredients to bring forth the complex charred aromas known locally as wok hei. The most anticipated dishes include deep-fried stuffed crab meat in shell, oven-boiled cod with egg white and conpoy, and the delectable dessert platter, a signature of Shang Palace.

Shang Place, Kowloon Shangri-La, 64 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; +852 2733 8483

The post The Top 10 Special Menus You Can’t Miss This October appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.