CHEF WEILU WANG

Chef Weilu Wang graduated from the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu Paris before working in a chocolaterie in the city of lights: Monsieur Chocolate. She now works at Prince Philosopher in Stockholm, Sweden.

Thanks to that experience, she describes her style as “fresh, delicate, simple, elegant and feminine”.

DESSERTS DESCRIPTION

Petit Four: I wanted to push the fruity flavor of MANJARI 64% to the extreme. I used Orange, the Swedish beer from Gotland with a bit orange flavor and sumac to underline the fruity and acidic aromas of MANJARI 64%, and the nice smell of wheat in the Swedish beer to contribute to the complexity. For the visual, the orange and red colors of oranges and beer in pulled sugar create the shininess and beauty of jewelry. At the same time, it gives a crunchy feel.

Plated Dessert: I wanted to emphasize the content of taste of MANJARI 64% (red berries, nuts) and to create a plated MANJARI 64% dessert. Light bitter Swedish lingonberry is a typical berry in Scandinavia, the beautiful smell of woods and herbs of Chinese Pu'er tea and smells of nuts of praliné, the sweetness of star anise reconstruct the MANJARI 64% on the plate. I did not want to just make a dessert with MANJARI 64%, but to represent MANJARI 64% in a new combination of ingredients. For the visual I was inspired by an unfinished wood sculpture of a designer and carpenter.

Q&A

Valrhona: Could you please introduce yourself in a few words (name, age, title) and tell us a bit about your career as a pastry chef?
Weilu Wang: Weilu WANG, 30, Female, Pastry chef. I graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Paris and worked as sous chef in a chocolaterie in Paris for 2 years. I work as pastry chef in a pâtisserie in Stockholm now.

Valrhona: Where do you work? Which establishment, in which city?
Weilu Wang: Prince Philosopher, Stockholm

Valrhona: Which great chefs have you worked with? Are there any you would particularly like to work with?
Weilu Wang: Jean Marc RUE, Keiko ORIHARA. Both of them are great to work with.

Valrhona: Have you ever participated in a competition before? If so, which one?
Weilu Wang: Yes. Yearly Pastry Chef of Sweden.

Valrhona: How did you find out about the C3 competition? What does the C3 competition mean to you?
Weilu Wang: Through the internet. The C3 means for me a chance to meet and share my desserts with top chefs as judges, and to know where to improve myself. Besides, to work with talented chefs from all over the world and get more inspiration is also a great pleasure.

Valrhona: How would you describe your signature style as a pastry chef?
Weilu Wang: Fresh, delicate, simple, elegant and feminine.

Valrhona: What sort of person are you?
Weilu Wang: Shy, easy-going, simple, open-minded and hardworking.

Valrhona: How have you been preparing for the C3 competition and for how long?
Weilu Wang: Think and try, and repeat it. For one month.

Valrhona: Can you tell us the secret to your chocolate blend?
Weilu Wang: Less sugar. Keep, develop and balance all flavors.

Valrhona: What inspires you?
Weilu Wang: Nature, arts. Great chefs’ works.

Valrhona: What is your favorite ingredient to work with?
Weilu Wang: Natural and seasonal ingredients.

STARCHEFS QUESTIONS

StarChefs: If you could visit any chocolate origin, where would it be and why?
Weilu Wang: Venezuela. For its high quality of cacao beans and its special flavors of Criollo.

StarChefs: Who is your mentor, and what's the most important lesson he/she taught you?
Weilu Wang: Chef Jean-Marc Rué and Chef Keiko. They taught me to explore and develop my own tastes. 

StarChefs: What's the first truly delicious pastry you remember eating? Where were you?
Weilu Wang: Mont-Blanc of Des Gâteaux et du Pain. In Paris. 

StarChefs: Who is the the unsung hero of your pastry department? What is his/her title, and why is he/she so valuable?
Weilu Wang: Lucas, our manager He sets high standards for all productions in sense of art. 

StarChefs: If you were a flavor, what would you be and why?
Weilu Wang: The flavor of pear, very light and mild.