Antoinette : this quintessential Parisian pâtisserie and salon du thé opened in 2011 its flagship store at 30 Penhas Road, Lavender followed by a second outlet at Mandarin Gallery and a third outlet at Scarlet Hotel soon after. Situated very close yet nicely tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Antoinette truly sets itself apart as a hidden gem that makes for the perfect venue for a tête-à-tête over its exquisite Parisian sweet and savoury offerings.

Paying homage to Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France who was so often revered for her fine taste and her lavishly indulgent love for an excess of meticulously crafted pastries, Antoinette sets the benchmark for the pastry and dessert scene not just in Singapore, but in the region with her takes on time-honoured French classic desserts.

Antoinette’s repertoire of French classics will tempt even the most discerning of palates. The Religieuse of Caramel is a visually stunning tower of choux puffs filled with the most luscious caramel cream accentuated by touch of fleur de sel, crowned with caramel glaze and delicate butter cream trimmings. The Savarin, a grand classic in the French pastry context, consist of a baba pastry delicately infused citrus rum syrup and finished with a rosette of vanilla crème Chantilly. At the ever-increasing crescendo of high notes and sweet arias is Antoinette where a velvety melt-in-the-mouth milk chocolate mousse perfumed with the aromas of earl grey tea encases a chocolate biscuit, raspberry coulis and an earl grey tea crumble. At the viennoiserie shelf you’ll find a selection of the most buttery and flaky pastries that the service staff would most gladly warm up for you. A special mention has to be for the kouglof; a yeasted bread-like cake with the aromas of orange blossom water specked with nuggets of moist raisins and toasted almond flakes. This is a traditional Alsatian specialty that is lovingly baked in a glazed earthenware mould giving it its distinctive shape of a crown – a favourite of  Maire Antoinette.

Chef Pang Kok Keong

A self-confessed sweet-toothed gourmand, Chef Pang Kok Keong has always envisioned revolutionizing Singapore’s sweet eating culture, one spoonful of sugar at a time. Today, Chef Pang has distinguished himself as one of the most prolific and well-regarded pâtissiers in Singapore and the region.

Chef Pang first ventured into the world of culinary arts as a student at SHATEC in 1993 and has since contributed his skills in several established hotels and restaurants such as the Ritz-Carlton Millenia Hotel Singapore, Patisserie Chocolat and Hilton Hotel Singapore. During promotions, he has worked alongside many Michelin Star chefs and was privileged to have also had the opportunity to undergo training in Spain with Master Pastry Chef Paco Torreblanca and in Shanghai with Chef Eric Perez to further refine his craft.

Joining the Les Amis Group in 2004 as an Executive Pastry Chef was a significant milestone in Chef Pang’s career as it provided him the opportunity to conceptualize Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie. There, Chef Pang spearheaded the creation of an extensive array of pastries, chocolates, breads, cakes and confectioneries, which have since captured the hearts of many.

Over the course of his career, Chef Pang has received repeated affirmations of his talent through the numerous accolades he attained. He was nominated for the Pastry Chef of the Year Award at the 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 World Gourmet Summit Awards of Excellence in Singapore. Chef Pang was named Cacao Barry Pastry Chef of the Year in 2007, PCB Pastry Chef of the Year 2009 and 2010 at the World Gourmet Summit; the youngest recipient to have won this award three times and is now a recent inductee into the World Gourmet Summit Awards of Excellence Hall of Fame for pastry chef of the year. Chef Pang is also the Vice President of the Singapore Pastry Alliance from 2006 till date.

In the international culinary scene, Chef Pang has represented Singapore in numerous competitions and has been part of the Singapore National Culinary Team. Since 2008, he has been the Team manager and Coach to the Singapore National Pastry Team leading them to victory at the Asian Pastry Cup in 2008 and again in 2010, qualifying the team to contest at the World Pastry Cup held in Lyon, France in 2009 and 2011.

Moving forward and armed with his wealth of experience, Chef Pang has decided to take his career to greater heights with the launch of his independent venture – the Sugar Daddy Group. The Group has since launched 3 Parisian patisserie, restaurant and salon de thé, Antoinette, in Penhas road, Mandarin Gallery and the Scarlet hotel and an laid-back contemporary diner, Pique Nique, in Takashimaya shopping center.There are also other projects in the pipeline such as a French boulangerie retailing traditional rustic French bakery; an ice cream parlour; and an Asian dessert shop. Chef Pang believes that these developments will tantalize the discerning taste buds of fellow gourmands and push the frontiers of the local F&B industry.

Sources – Photos – The Sugar Daddy Group