A Facebook contact said it best: These new French bakeries are bad for the diet. She was reacting to a photo I had uploaded of three cookies from Eric Kayser, the bakery that opened at the Rockwell Power Plant late last year.
Every day since they opened, they have either run out of baked goods to sell or supplies of their “classic staples” have dipped dangerously low. What is it about these French bakeries—Eric Kayser and Paul, in particular—that have Filipinos enamored?
It could be their heritage. Kayser, for one, comes from a long line of bakers. His father, grandfather and great grandfather were all bakers. When asked if he wanted to do something else or be something else when he was younger, he gives an unequivocal no.
Starting young
“I was 3 years old when I baked my first apple tart,” he recalled. “Of course, my father helped me out first by preparing the pie crust, peeling and coring the apple, and finally piping in the
custard.”
Kayser went on to perfect this particular pastry at 10 after his father told him how peeling apples was a task few bakers enjoyed doing. Despite this, the continuous, repetitive movements helped hone his baking skills.
At 19, he became a member of the Compagnon du Tour de France, the organization of French artisans and craftsmen. He went on to teach at the French National Institute for Bakers and Pastry Chefs for nearly a decade, traveling around France and the world to share the traditions of French baking.
In 1996, Kayser opened his first bakery at 8 rue de Monge in Paris. He expanded rapidly throughout France before setting his sights on foreign shores, opening bakeries and cafés in Tokyo, New York, Dubai, Moscow, Singapore and Hong Kong.
The decision to open in the Philippines was not one taken lightly. Luc Boulet, Hong Kong-based CEO of Maison Eric Kayser Asie Ltd, said that they had been approached a few times before they decided to partner with Designer Boulanger Philippines, Inc., a group composed of long-time Kayser fan Jacky Ang with businessmen Kelvin Gaisano and Chris Tiu.
Serious business
Kayser really takes the business of bread making very seriously. Chefs have to train for a minimum of six months in a country where the brand is sold. Even with that background, they will still be overseen by two French chefs who specialize in either bread or pastry.
Unlike commercial bakeries that use standard yeast to get the dough to rise, Kayser uses a natural liquid leaven. The result is bread with an airy crumb, a richer flavor and better aroma.
The proof of the pudding, however, is in the eating. As our interview was winding down, Kayser offered me a basket of pastries, urging me to go for the Kouign Amann. This round, sweet and flaky pastry from Brittany is a cross between a croissant and a crusty Danish. As I bit into it, my mouth was flooded with a buttery sweetness.
It’s still several months away, but I’m already looking forward to the second quarter opening of the Eric Kayser café-bakery at the Promenade in Greenhills that will carry a wider
selection of baked goods and provide seating for the hungry.
My Facebook friend was partly right. These French bakeries are bad for the diet but, boy, do they taste really good.