Sweetest moments
Aylin Öney Tan- aylinoneytan@yahoo.com
Most people have a sweet tooth. My daughter says she always has a second stomach for sweets. I do not! But together with my daughter, we had our sweetest moments around sweets, sweet memories of mother-daughter travels were accentuated by the sweet things we tasted. The recent global La Liste Pastry Special Awards brought memories of our earliest and latest sweet moments we remember vividly; first in Paris when my daughter was still in middle school, trying to taste every morsel Pierre Hermé created; recently amazed at Kyo Bar in Bangkok, analyzing and tasting every plate Dej Kewkacha prepared right before our eyes. In between those sweet moments, we had several sweet memories related to chocolates, desserts, and pastries, even if we were not traveling together, I always tried to collect whatever I could from my trips, torn between the two magnificent Pierre’s, spending fortunes on Pierre Marcolini chocolates, selecting the best flavor combinations of Pierre Hermé macarons, sometimes overdoing Lebkuchen shopping in Christmas season, and discovering local specialties, one of her favorites being Cannelés de Bordeaux, I carried loads of sweet things for my sweetie. Now I realize that I have those memories engraved in my mind, just because sweets made her so happy. When she was happy, I was happy!
Now we have a new list to follow, to travel around the globe to chase sweet morsels, and to capture these moments of happiness. Earlier this month, La Liste, often referred to as the ranking of the rankings, celebrated the first anniversary of the World’s Best Pastry Shop Selection presented by Cacao Barry and launched the inaugural global La Liste Pastry Special Awards at their annual garden party in Paris. Pierre Hermé received the very special “Award of Honor” in the presence of over 40 chefs he trained, which was so touching to see how influential he has been for young talents since he created that ground-breaking “Cherry on the Cake/La Cerise sur le Gâteau” and the ephemeral Ispahan, a heavenly combination of roses, raspberries and litchees.
Philippe Faure, the president of La Liste, announced the award saying: “At the heart of this global momentum, Pierre Hermé, whom we pay tribute to this year, shines like a star, a radiant light of French pastry. In a world of passion and creativity sweetened by sugar, his magic turns every bite into an unforgettable moment. This “Special Award” not only recognizes his unparalleled talent but also the sweetness and innovation he brings to our taste buds."
Later on his Instagram, Dej Kewkacha, who received one of the New Talents of the Year Award, shared a picture of his young self with Hermé taken 15 years ago, his muse, his role model in embarking on his own sweet journey. He wrote: “In 2008, a year after I started my first ice cream business Sfree, I began studying French pastry on my own and excited to participate in a masterclass by the great Pierre Hermé in Singapore. I still remember like it was yesterday, the Chocolate-Passionfruit macaron he demonstrated that day!” This is a true demonstration of how a single macaron can have a long-lasting effect, sometimes shaping the future of a young pastry chef.
The list is long. There are 11 categories celebrating 25 chefs for their talents, creativity, diversity, innovation and commitment to their art. We all that the pastry sector is usually closest to art in the gastronomy world when it comes to creativity. Chocolate and candy centerpieces are sometimes akin to sculptures. Hélène Pietrini, managing director of La Liste, says: “Pastry chefs are addicted to exploring the limits of their craft, and reformulating tradition to present eager consumers with new business concepts, international expansion, plant-based evolution, and seasonal novelties.” In line with pushing the limits, La Liste World’s Most Creative Pastry Chef 2023 Award went to Amaury Guichon, Las Vegas-based pastry chef, for his outstanding innovation in creating chocolate masterpieces. The list also demonstrates a commitment to sustainability, not comprising on quality, ethics, and sourcing, and brings light to innovators creating plant-based pastry, such as Harrod’s Philip Khoury and Jérôme Raffaelli of Oh Faon! in Marseille, and Lauren V. Haas who is working with plastic-free molds and packaging in the U.S.
New talents of the year, other than Dej Kewkacha whom we loved, included Eunji Lee of Lysée, New York, who blends Korean flavors with classic techniques to make playful lifelike patisserie; Mayada Badr of Pink Camel in Jeddah; a culinary leader and "macaron queen" Tejasvi Chandela, chef-owner of Jaipiur’s first pastry shop, Dzurt; and Ophélie Barès, who brings high-end techniques to neighborhood bakery, Encore in Paris. Following the New Talents, there is also the Discovery Award, which makes us ever more curious to explore tastes across the globe. 2003 Discovery Awards were shared by Fusto Milano, the flagship boutique, research lab, workshop, and event space from Gianluca Fusto in Milan; BRIX Desserts, a multi-sensory experience and the only dessert tasting menu in the Middle East from Carmen Rueda Hernandez, Dubai; Pâtisserie Rhubarbe, which sets the standard for pastry technique, seasonality, and creativity in Canada, from Stéphanie Labelle in Montreal; Pâtisserie Asako Iwayanagi, a must-visit sweet stop in Tokyo for Iwayanagi’s intricate, many-layered parfait; La Goutte d'Or, Parisian favorite Yann Menguy transports his beloved pastry to Fort-de-France, Martinique.
Last but not least, when it is the pastry sector, it is also all about tradition. Keeping the tradition is as important as innovation. Here steps in the award for “Best Afternoon Tea” that goes to The Connaught Patisserie by Nicolas Rouzaud in London, performing an impeccable afternoon tea that marries a traditional form and location with bold, whimsical pastry. “Artisan & Authenticity Award” celebrates old-school traditional venues, shared between Bontemps in Paris, where pastry chef and co-founder Fiona LeLuc devotes herself to the sable biscuit and the historic coffee house Demel in Vienna, Austria, with heritage cakes such as Sachertorte and Dobostorte. I must note that we also have fond sweet memories of the latter, not once but several times, and somehow felt proud that it is sustained by Do&Co, owned by Turkish Atilla Doğudan. Till next year, thanks to La Liste, we have a sweet long list to follow, and to collect sweet memorable moments!
