Nico Ooi – Head Pastry Chef, Entier & Potager
In this interview, Nico Ooi, Head Pastry Chef for Entier French Dining & Potager, talks about not having a sweet tooth and leadership in the kitchen.
What do you do?
I am the head pastry chef for Entier and Potager.
How did you get into the industry?
It’s funny, I’ve never had a sweet tooth but what drew me to the dessert section of the kitchen are the flavours, the techniques and creativity it requires, which I find really exciting. There’s so much room to experiment and create something beautiful.
What is your favorite ingredient to work with and why?
Vanilla! It’s amazing how many different flavours you can get from it, depending on where it’s from and what you pair it with. The ingredient might seem simple, but extracting all its potential is quite complex.
What is one ingredient that you would really like to use but haven’t had the chance to yet?
Horned melon. Its unique mixture of flavours, aromas and textures intrigues me, but I haven’t had the opportunity to try it.
What is the connection between a pastry chef and chef in creating a memorable dining experience?
Is like a father-son mentorship, so to create a memorable dining experience we have to work together in a harmonious way.
What’s one of the funniest things you’ve seen behind the scenes?
One of the funniest things happened when our head chef, who had just been discharged from the hospital, showed up to work like nothing had happened but then his wife stormed in and dragged him back home.
How do you lead the pastry team?
My way of leading the pastry team is by creating a supportive and familial working atmosphere, achieve a sense of unity and togetherness to enhance creativity as a team.
A day in the life of Nico Ooi …
… involves checking on the mise en place, collaborating on events, experimenting and creating new desserts.
The perfect day off would be…
waking up in a secluded jungle, disconnected from the world, fishing freely, catching my own fish, and cooking it myself.
What does Nico Ooi do for fun?
For fun, I enjoy exploring and traveling alone.
Proudest moment so far?
My proudest moment so far is when my parents finally agreed with my decision to work in the food and beverage industry.
Which superpower do you wish to have?
Endless time.
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