Sweet surprise

With a background in farming,it was rather unusual for Marc Debailleul to develop an interest in what they call in France metiers de bouche or the skills of the mouth.

Written by Dipti Nagpaul D'souza
January 3, 2011 02:01 AM IST

3 min read

With a background in farming,it was rather unusual for Marc Debailleul to develop an interest in what they call in France metiers de bouche or the skills of the mouth. Starting his career at 17 as the apprentice,he went on to receive some of the highest honours in his profession including the Meilleur Ouvrier de France,the pastry equivalent of a Michelin Star chef,and the World Confectionery Champion. The 62-year-old is today considered one of the leading artists in the profession for his dedication to hand-making every product as it helps achieve precision on how ingredients react and develop.

The world-renowned pastry chef from Belgium who now has a chain of his signature cake boutique Debailleul in 13 countries is now set to make the presence of his hand-crafted cakes and patisserie products felt in Mumbai. Debailleul has been extremely well-received in other parts of Asia and India is the next logical step, says Karen deSouza,business manager of Food Concepts,that is bringing the brand to the city this month. Mumbai is experiencing a change where the concept of premium quality products is being valued. Indians are now travelling regularly. This gives them the opportunity to discover different tastes and therefore upon their return,they are knowledgeable and demanding.

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The Belgian chain with a French heritage since Debailleul is trained in French pastry-making techniques was started by the master chef in 1983 in Brussels. In 1990s,the brand expanded to other European cities. Debailleul attributes its success to handcrafting all its products by trained chefs of highest honours across every branch. Ingredients,in this case,play the key role. While Mumbai is no more alien to quality cakes,gateaux,bonbons and luxury chocolates,it is Debailleuls innovation with flavours and the French expertise that will define them. The patisserie will open in Prabhadevi with a range of desserts,cakes,pastries and also a range of baked goods such as tarts and pies

While India is now home to most international quality ingredients,Debailleul intends to ship fully prepared products from Belgium. This essentially means that most part of their range will be flown down fresh from their headquarters in Brussels every day. A challenge, admits deSouza,but it does not compromise on quality.

The island city has always harboured a local cake culture and the recent years have witnessed a significant advancement due to the demanding palate of Indians. While there is evidently a growing market for the products of this chain,the presence of five-star and standalone patisseries has been catering to that need until now. Debailleul,with its premium-priced products,is confident of establishing a strong customer base. Quality is the leitmotif of Debailleul and it applies to our products ingredients,taste,presentation and decoration and their consistency,to our services and our relationships with customers. This is what will bring people back every time, claims Hans Pauwels,also a Meilleur Ouvrier de France,who is currently in charge of operations of the brand.