No butter, eggs or cream? No problem. Jessica Chow, the former Grassroots Pantry pastry chef, has it all figured out at Bien Caramélisé, her new Prince Edward West pastry shop
The art of pastry, with its razor thin margin of error, is difficult to master even when you have all the building blocks in your knowledge bank. The pursuit of perfection when it comes to French pastry, for example, is something that continues to elude chefs, whether they’re looking to improve their buttery croissant recipe or create magic with mille-feuille, and so the fact that pastry chef Jessica Chow is eschewing eggs and dairy for Bien Caramélisé, her first patisserie, is all the more intriguing.
Vegan baking is nothing new, though still relatively obscure in Hong Kong. Even fewer have tackled the tricky task of creating original, delicate pastries through the lens of plant-based philosophy. Without the lustrous sheen of butter, the binding properties of egg, or the richness of full cream, how is Chow creating her range of high-end desserts? The answer lies in the possibilities of ingredients such as oats, soy, coconut, buckwheat and more.
Related: Tatler's Ultimate Guide To Vegetarian And Vegan Dining In Hong Kong
Signature pastries of Chow’s include the mille-feuille, a delicate multi-layered delight that is light and crisp from the mix of olive oil, coconut butter, cacao butter and French stone-ground flours. Another triumph is her pâté à choux, which she developed after a challenge from former boss Peggy Chan at Grassroots and has improved upon after even more rigorous testing. Using psyllium husk, olive oil, and flours such as sorghum, garbanzo and brown rice, the fluffy puff is a result of a unique mix that should, quite frankly, be trademarked.
“There have only been a handful of chefs who had been able to fully understand the Grassroots ethos and execute with integrity,” Chan tells us. “Jess consistently executed to the tee, if not more. A natural perfectionist with a dietetics background, she sees each dessert she produces as a representation of what she believes in. No shortcuts—she was trustworthy and reliable and worked with integrity towards her products.”
Below, we speak to Chow about the journey to opening Bien Caramélisé.
Looking back at your career as a pastry chef of 11-plus years, what would you say have been the pivotal moments?
I would say I have three pivotal moments in my career:
First, changing careers from being a dietitian to a pastry chef back in 2009.
Second, leaving Australia (where I grew up) with nothing more than a backpack, to seek out a pastry job in France. I didn’t speak the language, nor did I know anyone; I just knew I wanted to learn traditional French pastries. It was one of the most rewarding time of my life.
Third, jumping out of yet another comfort zone that is traditional pastries to become a full fledge plant-based pastry chef.
What is it about the art of pastry that first drew you to it as a profession?
I've always been a hands-on person who likes to be challenged, so sitting in an office working stable hours as with my previous career at the end didn't cut it for me; however, I loved working with food and nutrition, so it felt like being a chef was an obvious choice. I chose pastry because I love the precision and creativity of the field, and I have never looked back.
What is the first dessert you remember making? What setbacks did you have starting out as a home baker, and then as a professional?
A cold-set strawberry cheesecake, I remember being quite proud of it as it came out very nice for a beginner. In terms of setbacks, nothing major is coming to mind, which I am thankful for. There are always challenges and issues revolving around working in a stressful environment, but I try to take each experience as a learning process, and come out better on the other end.