American TV chef Julia Child famously once said, “In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport.” In the interest of this year’s Olympic games being held in the City of Love, we look to three culinary innovators and their game-changing takes on classic French desserts.
Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic
Anne-Sophie Pic is among one of the most important figures of modern French cuisine, lauded for her exquisite flavour combinations that are bold yet unceasingly elegant. “Not being confined by traditional codes gave me a certain freedom; it allowed me to break away from the norm and develop my own vision, my own culinary style” she shares. “From my perspective, the main goal of a chef(fe) is first and foremost to provoke an emotion, to generate curiosity and, in some cases, to leave a memorial imprint.” Pic’s visionary cuisine is on full display at Cristal Room, where seasonal inventions like this pineapple vacherin showcase an adventurous marriage of French tradition and worldly flavours. Delicate leaves crafted from meringue and matcha tuile are placed in a delicate pile, with a herb-infused pineapple confit and sorbet hidden underneath.
“I enjoy drawing inspiration from local cultures and products to offer a personal interpretation through my creations. The pineapple vacherin reflects my desire to craft a dessert around pineapple, a fresh fruit with slightly acidic notes that is highly appreciated in Hong Kong. Together with Eric Verbauwhede, Pic’s executive pastry chef, we envisioned a light dessert that highlights this freshness along with vegetal flavours brought by a hint of shiso, tarragon, and lovage. These herbal elements enrich the pineapple’s aromatic profile prolonging its freshness. Tarragon contributes anise-like notes, while lovage adds spicy, almost peppery undertones.”
43/F Gloucester Tower, LANDMARK, 15 Queen’s Road Central; @cristalroombyasp
Caprice
Caprice has been a three Michelin-starred establishment for over five years, demonstrating French gastronomic superiority throughout all aspects of the dining experience. This is all in thanks to a team of individuals that hold immense respect and passion for their craft—individuals like Pastry Chef Astoria Koh. “Everything we put out is something that we love to eat. If we don’t enjoy the dish ourselves, we don’t release it,” she says.
Her latest dessert creation capitalises on the French strawberry season, and excels in taste, textural harmony, and presentation—Koh’s three criteria for an excellent French dessert. “Personally I tend to pick, perhaps three or four complementary flavours, and think about how we can achieve these in varying textures.” The dessert is a dance between smooth, crunchy and gelatinous textures, featuring strawberry yoghurt mousse, strawberry vanilla ice cream, basil diplomat cream, semolina sable, delicate sheets of strawberry chocolate, gelée sphere filled with fresh strawberry cubes, and a pour of strawberry consommé sauce to finish.
6/F, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central; @capricehongkong
Whisk
At Whisk, Chef de Cuisine William Lau holds a reputation for his insatiable appetite for innovation, churning out novel creations in record time. His île flottante made specially for the Vogue Hong Kong July issue, is a testament to this. While he adheres to the traditional recipe for an île flottante, Lau transforms the dining experience through unexpected flavour pairings and delightful colour. “The French are famed for their original style, and it shows in all aspects of life. This year, the Paris Olympic track will be dressed in purple as a way to break tradition and show the uniqueness of French culture,” he says of his inspiration.
A truly gastronomic experience on its own, this île flottante comes dressed with a smoky mixed berry jam and two complementary dishes: a charcoal-grilled mixed berry ice cream with white chocolate and purple potato chocolate, and a blueberry consommé made with soda and homemade shiso apple cider vinegar for a bit of tartness. “It’s refreshing, sweet, and sour all at once, so the hope [for our guests] is to play around with the flavours and have fun.”
5/F, The Mira Hong Kong, 118-130 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; @whisk.hk
Photography: Samantha Sin
Styling: Ella Wong
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Editor
Alyanna Raissa J. PayosCredit
Lead image: Samantha Sin and Ella Wong for Vogue Hong Kong's July 2024 issue
