If you work in IFC, you may notice something odd taking place in a quiet corner on the second floor. Tourists with cameras big and small has descended on a new patisserie, not much larger than take-away counter. Of course, as most gourmands as well as followers of the modelling world will know, the draw is Petite Amanda, the French patisserie opened by model Amanda Strang. We catch up with the model turned baker to see just what the fuss is all about.

Asia Tatler Dining: What is the philosophy behind Petite Amanda?

Amanda Strang: Petite Amanda will have traditional items and modern bits and pieces based on traditional recipes. French pastries are my absolute favourites; they're very refined, and they're never too sweet. There's a reason why French pastries are so popular: that combination of taste and texture is the key. The look is also important, but it mustn't be overdone. Somehow the French make things look beautiful and simple without adding sugar or flowers, and I like that. My favourite things in life are the simple things.

ATD: What sort of pastries will you make at Petite Amanda?

AS: It's going to be a real French patisserie. We'll be doing real French bread like the baguette. I'll even do the pain au levain, an old-style French loaf with a hard crust, a bit like sour dough. It has become popular again in Paris. People are starting to demand a return to the old ways. We'll also be making croissants, Danish breads, pastries and cookies.

ATD: Where did pick up your passion for baking?

AS: The first time I baked I was eight years old. My passion for baking started with a passion for eating. My mother never made pastries, so one day I decided to pick up a cookbook and make a soufflé. For me, baking is a science. Watching the dough rise and seeing it transform is amazing; I never get bored of it. It starts with such simple ingredients like flour, sugar, cream and milk, but it becomes something amazing.

ATD: Who are some of your greatest influences?

AS: Ludovic Douteau [now executive pastry chef at The Peninsula] was the first chef I worked under and he remains my biggest inspiration. He keeps pastries simple, but each and every one is amazing. If anyone has a question, he will drop everything to take the time to explain what he is doing, which is very rare for French chefs to do. He is the reason I pursued this project. He really pushed me. The six months I spent with him was beyond anything I could have imagined, and I thank him every day for that. He's the best teacher I've ever had.

ATD: Your food blog covers all manner of dishes, starters to entrées. Do you have plans to expand the Petite Amanda repertoire?

AS: I really haven't thought that far ahead, I'm taking it one step at a time. My modeling background taught me to keep things simple. I try to do everything the best that I can and then see what comes next. Succeeding with the patisserie will make me happy, and once I accomplish that I'll think about my next goal.

ATD: You put your career as a model on hold to open Petite Amanda. Do you plan to return to modeling?

AS: I am constantly putting modeling on hold, but I always seem to go back. I have stopped doing fashion shows, but I still might appear at choice events. Now I leave my kitchen for an hour, go to an event, then pop back to the kitchen. The shop is my main focus now.

ATD: Are you bringing anything new to the pastry world?

AS: Yes and no. I think everything has been done before. For example, the sponge that I make has been prepared the same way for 300 years, but I am using that same recipe to compose something new and unique. In a way my pastries are my own creations, but the base of each one has been around for a long time. It's all about tradition.

This interview was taken from Hong Kong Tatler's August 2011 issue.