Located at the new Como Orchard, the shop will serve Grolet’s famous pastries along with a few Singapore exclusives
Since bursting into the scene in 2018 with his trompe l'oeil desserts (or creations that bear an uncanny resemblance with the fruits they are inspired by), French pastry chef Cédric Grolet has been an unstoppable force in the pastry world. Boasting over eight million followers on Instagram (where he gives us a peek into the making of his culinary masterpieces) and the title of the World’s Best Pastry Chef in 2018, his standing in the dining industry has seen him work alongside celebrated chefs and open his eponymous outlets in Paris and London.
With his stellar reputation, it was no surprise that the Singapore gourmand scene was abuzz with excitement when Grolet announced the opening of his first pastry shop in Asia, at the newly launched lifestyle destination Como Orchard. Ahead of the launch on September 14, Tatler Dining met up with Grolet at Como Metropolitan Orchard (the newly opened hotel located at Como Orchard), who agreed that it had been a long time coming for him to open a pastry shop on the island. “I had been to Singapore four to five times for masterclasses, and it’s the place to be for its vibrant food culture,” he shared. Having said that, expanding his presence to Asia was more about “finding the right partners to work with”, which he found in Como Group.
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When he opens new outlets in other countries, Grolet mentioned that his offerings are very much similar to what he offers at his Paris outlets. “90 per cent of my customers in Paris are foreigners,” he added, and that’s why he believes his desserts have a global appeal. However, he was quick to point out that he also takes into consideration the “local culture” and includes one or two exclusives to his repertoire.
So while you can expect signatures like the pain au chocolat, croissant and Vanilla Bean (Tahitian vanilla, custard cream, vanilla ganache encased in a shell shaped like the bean), you can also look forward to Singapore-exclusive creations. These include the limited-edition mooncakes, which are made with peanut praline, banana bread, creamy banana and caramel gel, and wrapped in a thin peanut ganache shell. While the team originally planned to offer 100 sets of limited-edition mooncakes via the website’s Click & Collect function, the demand was so high that they have pre-sold 800 sets so far.
You also have the Dragonfruit, a tropical fruit he recreated with the namesake ingredient, passionfruit, vanilla ganache, and encased in a delicate shell of white chocolate and cocoa butter. These are available for takeaway or dine-in at the 40-seater space, which is dressed in white and furnished with striking gold design features hanging from the ceiling.
With four outlets in total (two in Paris and one in London and Singapore), Grolet foresees that he’ll be busier than ever. But he credits his amazing team as his “biggest strength” in bringing to life his vision and his beautiful desserts that look as good as they taste.
Cédric Grolet Singapore, 30 Bideford Road, Level 1, Como Orchard, S(229922),