With Gontran Cherrier
Gontran Cherrier is the name we know and love attached to Tiong Bahru Bakery. If you stopped by the flagship store last week, you would have met the adorable French master baker who is all about innovation – respecting the old order and the art of boulangerie while trailblazing a new path bringing stunning French delicacies to the masses in Asia and around the world. Allons-y!
Hi Gontran, so glad to see you in Singapore. To what do we owe the pleasure?
I come several times a year from Paris, and this time I’m here to develop some new menu items, to carry out quality assurance, and meet our customers. We’re working on some very exciting new items for the savoury menu, which I hope Singapore will enjoy.
You’re the 4th generation of a family of great bakers and patissiers, so how did your folks react when you decided to strike out on your own?
Hailing from a long line of artisanal bakers and being exposed to it at a young age, it was natural that I fell in love with baking. It is in my blood. In fact, I started baking with my grandfather at his bakery when I was a young child. My family was and is very encouraging. I’m proud to say I’ve kept true to the traditional baking techniques handed down from my family, and created my own style by marrying them with international flavours.
Tell us more about your collaboration with the Spa Esprit Group – how did Tiong Bahru Bakery come into being?
I was introduced to Cynthia Chua of Spa Esprit Group by one of my business partners. We met and clicked instantly. We’re both very passionate about creativity and have great synergy. I was very excited when I visited Singapore as it’s a melting pot of traditional cultures and modern influences. At that time, Cynthia shared that although there was growing awareness for gourmet breads, what was available in the market was still very limited. So we decided to set up Tiong Bahru Bakery.
France and Singapore have very different climates. Was it difficult adjusting and adapting traditional French techniques for the humidity in our country?
Due to the humidity in Singapore, we have to bake the breads at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. This forms a slightly thicker and sturdier crust, which helps to protect against and counter the humidity.
You’re a man who is wearing many hats – trainer, entrepreneur, cookbook author, and you even have your own TV show! Which part of building your mini empire did you enjoy the most?
I love every bit of it. I am very passionate about baking and I love sharing my knowledge and skills. If I had to choose, I reckon I most enjoy researching and developing new bakes and flavor combinations. I enjoy travelling and experimenting with new ingredients and creating new flavours and styles of bread and cakes.
We just have to ask: what’s your favourite bread?
I adore the Miso Rye Bread: it’s savory, complex, delicious, versatile and unexpected. There is so much depth to the flavours. I love having it with a smear of butter and topped with a raw oyster – it’s great with eggs too!
You’re a regular globetrotter because of what you do. Do you have a favourite city to visit or a city you’d love to set up shop in?
I love Japan. It is an amazing country that is so modern yet has so much respect for tradition and craftsmanship. That’s why I set up a Gontran Cherrier bakery in Tokyo’s Shibuya district in 2012.
You’ve also been in Singapore more than a few times. What do you think about our dining scene? Have you taken a fancy to any of our local dishes?
The Singapore dining scene is very exciting and explosive – there are always new restaurants and dining concepts coming up. I love how there is an amazing mix of the traditional street food and new dining concepts, and how there is space for such a large array of different food concepts. I enjoy laksa very much – it has so many exciting flavours in one bowl.
Before we chow down on your delish pastries, what’s next in the pipeline for Gontran Cherrier?
I have quite a bit going on this year. I will be travelling with my TV show in France, which is about visiting different regions and trying to find the best bread of France. I also have new stores opening this year in Seoul, Johannesburg, and Melbourne, which is also keeping me very busy.
Plus, I like to visit the markets regularly where I have stores; to keep in touch with what’s going on, keep the menu relevant, and check in with my partners. In Tokyo I now have four stores and we bake and sell over 8,000 croissants every day so it’s pretty crazy, and I love it!
Merci Gontran! A la prochaine.
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