CHEF YUSUKE AOKI

Yusuke Aoki started his career at the French Pastry boutique in Japan where he acquired basic skills and techniques in French-style pastry. His expertise ranges from French pastries, wedding cakes, banquet and restaurant desserts, chocolate pralines, showpieces and sugar decorations. This expertise gave him the opportunity to join the opening team at The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo and another international stint at The Ritz-Carlton Toronto.

Yusuke Aoki then moved to Paris and worked at Patisseries & Gourmandise for Stéphane Glacier - MOF as International Pastry Chef, which honed his skills with French trends and well-defined styles in pastry.

At the Ritz-Carlton Doha, as the pastry chef, Yusuke Aoki won several competitions including the Semifinal of the Valrhona C3 Competition for the Middle Eastern region.

Yusuke Aoki is now showcasing his knowledge and technique on a new adventure at the Four Seasons Resort in Bali.

DESSERT DESCRIPTION

Petit Four: This enriched pino noir ganache with fig confiture which you will allow you to enjoy the texture of the seeds, together with a crunchy sablé.

Plated Dessert: Discover the most renowned Madagascar single origin chocolate, MANJARI 64% with an unusual flavor combination of "porcini mushrooms", paired with earl grey and poached pear to harmonize the flavors.

STARCHEFS QUESTIONS

StarChefs: If you could visit any chocolate origin, where would it be and why?
Yusuke Aoki: I would love to visit Madagascar, as one of my favorite chocolate is MANJARI 64%.

StarChefs: Who is your mentor, and what's the most important lesson he/she taught you?
Yusuke Aoki: Chef Stéphane Glacier, because when I worked in his boutique, he was always the one to come and start working in the kitchen on weekend at 4am, he was always the one leading the team to clean entire kitchen. He is an MOF but he still never compromises on the basic things. I was really wowed. 

StarChefs: What's the first truly delicious pastry you remember eating? Where were you?
Yusuke Aoki: Mont-Blanc at the patisserie Aigre Douce. 

StarChefs: Who is the the unsung hero of your pastry department? What is his/her title, and why is he/she so valuable?
Yusuke Aoki:  To be honest all the team members. They are all working very hard to make things happened every day. 

StarChefs: If you were a flavor, what would you be and why?
Yusuke Aoki: Yuzu because sometimes people call me Yuzu as a bit similar with my name. But I am not so sour.