What is the trend in pastry in America?

In today’s world, trends are global rather than local largely because of social media such as Facebook and Instagram, and also because of various reasons. There is no special trend in America. However, in a general sense, America is speaking “chocolate” now. Chocolate and coffee are very popular in America.

When I came to America in 1980s, it was a different world of pastry I found. Now there are many more options for the consumers. The US pastry market is very vibrant. Glazed stuffs are in great demand. Fondant cakes are also in great demand all over the place. Products that are not so much in demand include stuffs such as cup cakes. However, cake in general has a huge market. Fondant cakes especially have huge demand.

How different is the pastry in the East Coast and West Coast of the country?

I am originally from Switzerland. And now I am based on the West Coast of America. I live in Seattle. I have seen both the East and the West coast of America. There are indeed some mild differences between these two regions of the country.

West Coast is more prone to changing trends. In Seattle, people favour coffee and chocolate. Local products are very big in Seattle. There are several micro breweries, which is another trend. Weather has a lot to do with what people choose. East Coast has a lot more pastry shops, and that part of the country has more French influence.

Coming to the topic of locally produced products, a lot of people prefer these products. Many people like locally made chocolate. I travel widely in Europe for teaching. I visit countries such as France and Switzerland but I have not seen there as much liking for local products as in America.

There is a belief that pastry in Europe is more complex than that in America. What is your view?

It is somewhat true. In Switzerland, for instance, pastry is more traditional. So are they in other European countries. America has many different cultures within it, and is always for innovation. I do not think Europe is much open-minded. Changing trends come mostly from France, Spain and Italy.

You have travelled widely across the world. Where does India stand? Does India have a matured pastry market?

India is not new to me as the place where I live in America has a lot Indians. The technology companies in Seattle are populated by Indian employees. This is the fourth time I am visiting India, and experiencing this country directly. I can see that the Indian cuisine contains a lot of spices. I also feel that the fruits in India are fantastic.

I think the Indian market has matured. People here are hungry to learn new things. They are peaceful but they are  demanding. India has very good manpower too.

All ingredients are available in India. Some ingredients may be a little difficult to procure but overall availability is good. If certain kind of ingredient, say, a certain kind of chocolate, is not available, then one cannot achieve the result. So it is important to have the right kind of ingredients. Also, only if  one understands the ingredients, he can become a good pastry chef. India has a good workforce. The Indian workers have patience, which is a good quality.

I can see the schools in India are of high standard. The recently opened School for European Pastry in Mumbai has world-class equipment. The teaching faculties are some of the accomplished pastry chefs in the country with international exposure.

Food is an amazing area. It is very interesting to know how food developed in various parts of the world. Sometimes, I wonder how such nice chocolate pieces are made.

One should get used to a certain kind of dish if he has to enjoy it. I have been to India, but I am not much used to the Indian dessert. I understand that there are a number of traditional stuffs. This time, I will surely try out a few Indian desserts.

How do you compare India with China?

India is more open than China in many respects. I was recently in China. I couldn’t get on to my email, Facebook and Instagram. China has its own portals such as Alibaba. They have their own equivalents for social media too. For me, it is easier to communicate from India.

I couldn’t find many pastry shops in China. At the same time, I was surprised to see that all international products and ingredients were available in China. There are also very good pastry schools in China, especially in Beijing and Shanghai. The schools are well-equipped.

What are the abilities required to become a sugar artist?

I do mostly sugar decoration and chocolate. I don’t do much of desserts. As for sugar craft, it does require artistic abilities and workmanship. When I teach, however, I take care to teach in such a way that everyone can learn and perform the craft. For me, everything must make sense. A showpiece should have a base, a beginning, a firm focus point, and an end. A showpiece should tell a story. The form, colour and all other elements must be in harmony. The objective must be to make simple and elegant pieces.

I can teach people, who don’t have artistic skills, the basic techniques so that they have something to put on the table. And if one has artistic abilities, he can accordingly build a more intricate piece. If you keep striving and do it again and again, then you develop a style of your own. When I started out, there were not too many teachers. So I observed and learned. Today, there are a lot of avenues to learn sugar craft.

How do show pieces contribute to revenue?

It is a relevant question. Show pieces in itself do not bring in any money. As you know, you cannot sell sugar pieces and make profit. But, people surely come in to your shop because sugar piece is an attraction and, in the process, they buy regular products.

Having a sugar piece also creates an opportunity for you to interact with your customers. You get to speak to them, and understand their preferences and choices. When you make a sugar craft as per the idea of a customer, he feels good and connected to your shop. This way you can say sugar pieces indirectly contribute to the revenue of pastry shops and restaurants.

How important is the climate when it comes to making as well as sustaining sugar craft?

Climate is a very challenging aspect in sugar craft. Sugar has a certain melting point. Tropical countries such as India have very different climatic conditions as compared to Europe. Mumbai has a humid climate.

Making sugar craft in India was a real challenge for me. Air-conditioning helps a lot but ultimately the climate also needs to be conducive. I was told that there are not many people who practise sugar craft probably due to the country’s specific climatic conditions.

Which is your favourite chocolate?

Every company has one or more good chocolate. Chocolate has to be good. For me, chocolate has to be user-friendly. That is the primary quality I seek in chocolate. And then they should have a reasonable price. In Switzerland, we eat more chocolate than any other country. Even in our military, we have a special chocolate. Chocolate market definitely will grow.