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What do people usually think about patisserie? Sweety? Tasty? Dreamy? Most of associated words are positive, because patisseries create spaces, cafés, and produce their artworks, cakes. For Kim Soo Jeong (KIM) and Ko Min Sung (KO), the things they sell are not the only sweet cakes and coffee, but also the happiness and dreams their caf makes. The Sookmyung Times (SMT) shed new light on patisseries that spread happiness to all customers.
Le Cordon Bleu, the Tie for Partners to Meet
KIM and KO have a strong ties to SMU, since they completed the 2-year baking course of Sookmyung Le Cordon Bleu (LCB). When they were studying at LCB, they decided to open the café together. Starting a small business is very risky and difficult, and it needs some guts for the challenge. KO said if we didn’t meet in LCB, our cooking place, Meringue, would not exist. After finishing the courses, KO got a job as a nutritionist and patisserie at another cake shop. She says, “I aspired to open my own shop when working, but business seemed to be too dangerous and the financial problem also became realistic.” When preparing a business, they firstly thought out baking classes to differ from other cafes. At the time they opened, there were no baking classes in normal cake shops. The café with baking classes might be the first one.
Meringue
Meringue is the café three people started. They all completed Sookmyung LCB.KO said being in partnership has advantage that all partners feel a deep affection to their own shop due to the ownership and also reduce costs. It is desirable to open a shop together to accumulate experience. In Meringue, even if the inside is a little noise because of baking classes, customers like to enjoy noisiness. KO told sometimes it is too busy to pay attention to customers, but they like watching baking class as part of the audience and taking in the smell of baking. The system which includes running café and teaching classes is complex, but KO believes this is Meringue. She said if there are 100 new cafes, it is really hard for even 10 of the cafes to survive and keep their own style; therefore, it is important to think about what their own way and style are.
Patisserie, an Attractive but Demanding Job
People often think patisserie as a job is very attractive, but KO takes an opposite thinking that this job is too demanding. Especially as a woman, she feels it is tough when making large amounts of cookies and cakes for customers. KO emphasized the basic condition of patisserie is an excellent brawn. When asking how about working as a hotel patisserie, KO smiled and answered hotel hires men who are young and strong because of the demanding work. When she finished LCB, she was 27, and so had few opportunities. Like she said, patisserie is more strenuous than people dreamed.
What is a patisserie? As bread and cake are commonplace in Korea, patisserie is not the person who bakes bread and cake. The only difference is that it creates its artwork with baking. The artwork occurs happiness and dreams to people’s mind. Even though Korea has no good environment to bake and cook, how could you explain the hidden beautiful taste in sweet cakes? That’s why patisserie existed to convey the beautiful taste.
Kim Soo Jeong
- Completed Homebaking School Baking Course, Japan
- Instructor of GSretail Culture Center in Bucheon
- Completed Sookmyung Le Cordon Bleu
Ko Min Sung
- Graduated from Sungshin Women’s University
- Worked at Shinsegae food corp
- Worked at Copint Cake studio
- Completed Sookmyung Le Cordon Bleu