1. Why did you choose to become Patissier?
When I was little kid, I always watched Japanese cooking programs on television. What fascinated me that time was the way the people on tv cooked was like art. Back then I only dreamt of making sweets and desserts, so much so that I felt I didn’t need to go to high school but to only pursue my dream. After I did graduate though, I worked at a small store and some hotels in my hometown of Fukuoka to gain experience. The reward of my hard work came to fruition when I won a competition for cake making in Fukuoka.
2. Mr. Shigeru’s cake from B-LAB is famous in Malaysia. What were the important factors for that great success achieved?
I feel when making cake, I must always take great care when mixing certain ingredients and the need to create authentic Japanese flavours. In Malaysia there are many great ingredients that can be used that you can’t find in Japan, so I try to incorporate those ingredients into my desserts too. The most important thing is the usage of the ingredients. Japanese people make sweets with a purpose, but people in Malaysia may not understand those reasons, when someone buys our cake I want the customer to say that ‘I want to make the same cake that this chef made’, I want to inspire my customers. We welcome all customer feedback and I feel it is important to act accordingly so we can serve customers better and exceed their expectations.
3. Tell us about your store’s specialty, products specialty and strength.
I would say my store’s specialty are Japanese crepes. They are incredibly soft and come in many flavours. A definite best-seller. We pride ourselves on assuring customers that they are buying the freshest and tastiest products. We prioritize customer feedback and always want to exceed their expectations, so there is always room for improvement and apart from making great desserts, a good customer relationship is very important.
Le Geci Crepes & Pastries
Patissiere: Mr. Shigeru Hashizume
Store Location: Isetan Suria KLCC, Concourse Level, Suria KLCC, 50088 Kuala Lumpur.