#10minswith is a monthly series featuring leaders, creatives and entrepreneurs who dare to chart their own path in Singapore and across the region.
Last September, Cedric Grolet Singapore opened at Como Orchard to great fanfare. Never mind the queues and hours-long wait, fans of world-renowned French pastry chef Cedric Grolet were eager to get a bite of his famed croissants, viennoiseries, and hyper-realistic cakes.
Despite charging an eye-watering $11 for a plain croissant, nobody – including his nearly 11 million Instagram followers – blinked. After all, Grolet is a superstar in the industry, voted “Best Pastry Chef in the World” by World’s 50 best Restaurants in 2018, and by Grandes Tables du Monde in 2019.
Grolet was in town again in April to inspect his first Asian outpost – his fourth shop after Paris and London. SG Magazine caught up with him to ask about Singaporeans’ reaction to his cafe since its opening, and the inspiration behind his drool-worthy creations.
Why did you choose to work with the Como Group?
This collaboration is the fruit of a trust relationship. I was approached by [founder-owner] Christina Ong, on the advice of her grandchildren who were following me on social media and knew about my work. We got on well, and Mdm Ong’s project and vision for this collaboration suited me, so we decided to start this adventure together.
The patisserie at Como Orchard has been open for over six months. How has the reception been, and have you discovered anything interesting about Singaporeans’ palette or preferences?
Singaporeans gave us a very warm welcome, and we noticed how much interest there was at our location on Orchard Road, given the long queues during the first few days of opening. Today, we’ve succeeded in retaining customers and welcoming new ones. We’ve noticed that Singaporeans are quicker to embrace the more regular changes in pastries than in our other shops.
Will there be more locally inspired and Singapore-exclusive flavours? What can we expect in the summer months?
We certainly have a few ideas for future creations inspired by local flavors. However, I can’t tell you what will or won’t be coming out soon, because we’re in the middle of testing and creating. To give you an idea, it took 10 years to test and refine the raspberry that came out at Le Meurice hotel in Paris two years ago. But obviously, there will always be new creations.
You mentioned your products use little sugar. Can you elaborate on that?
I have reduced the amount of sugar in my creations over the years, and currently use unrefined sugar in all my pastries. I want to preserve the aroma of the ingredients I use and not cannibalise them with sugar.
You’ve been described as a “mega-influencer” in the pastry world. Does it impact the way you create your products?
This has no impact on my creativity and the pastries we offer. However, I do use social media to adjust according to customers’ feedback. For me, they come first.
Who or what inspires you when it comes to creating your pastries? How do you stay creative?
My main role today within my team is creation, and I draw inspiration from everything around me: travel, fashion, architecture, local products from the countries I visit. Everything is a source of inspiration if you think about it.
Complete the sentence: When I’m not baking…
…I’m out on a lake, fishing.
Cedric Grolet Singapore is at Como Orchard, Level 2, 30 Bideford Road, Singapore 229922. For reservations, visit here.
