JY FOOD LAB: Pastry art with french techniques and asian flavours

Super neat layers, an explosion of colours, surprising flavour combinations and forever different textures: the pâtisserie of JY FOOD LAB in Malaysia stimulates all the senses. Pastry chefs Jer Yenn and Jia Yi have taken everything they ever learned in France to heart, and combine this with the flavours and tastes of Asia for their elegant creations. You’ll want to see this – and preferably taste it too!

The Prestige Noir is an eye-catcher in the JY FOOD LAB range: a combination of dark chocolate mousse, candied raspberries and chocolate crisp combined with Sicilian pistachios. This cake is a clear tribute to the time that pastry chefs Jer Yenn and Jia Yi spent in France. Other bestsellers in the range make it clear that their French experiences and techniques have now been fully merged with Asian influences. Take La Lune, for example: a complex mix of Oolong tea, walnut and caramel cheesecake. Or the Watermelon Lychee: a popular drink in Malaysia, captured in cake form. The Mellow Taro is a nostalgic allusion to a favourite treat in Malaysia, the yam cake. Made with one hundred percent fresh yam and the natural colour of purple sweet potato, the creation captures the traditional delicacy’s essence, but transforms it into a mousse cake, giving it a modern twist. ‘Our appreciation for the quality, creativity and appearance of French pâtisserie remains undiminished: it’s the cornerstone of JY FOOD LAB’, the two owners agree. ‘At the same time, we want to acknowledge our origins through the flavours and ingredients we use. By combining these two loves, we’re making French pastry popular in Asia.’

Exclusivity

JY FOOD LAB is named after both its founders, Jer Yenn and Jia Yi, who happen to share their initials. The pastry chefs met at university in Malaysia. During that period, Jer Yenn was selected by a French chef to do an internship in Carcassonne. After Jia Yi graduated, she followed her partner to France, and they worked together at a new business in Toulouse. Their time spent in France had a decisive influence on their style. In interviews, they regularly cite the precision, technique and creativity that they observed in French gastronomy. ‘I worked in a restaurant that was heading for a Michelin star’, says Jia Yi. ‘There I experienced the dedication, precision and innovativeness it takes to design an exclusive dessert. I also saw the care with which a unique flavour combination is put together. It was a highly instructive period. I greatly improved my technical skills, but I also became convinced that this was what I wanted to make myself. At JY FOOD LAB, we combine the techniques of French pâtisserie with Asian influences. By doing so, we create pastry that not only looks fantastic, but also tastes delicious and appeals to a local public.’

The partners have now established a division of tasks in their bakery that works well. Jia Yi loves to discover different types of drinks, which enables her to create unique flavour combinations for her cakes. Jer Yenn focuses on textures – from soft, creamy and light to crunchy – so as to give his cakes a surprising mouthfeel in every bite. ‘Together, we want to create moments of indulgence with every bite you take of our pastry. We don’t just want to bake cakes, but to offer experiences that evoke memories, unleash emotions and speak to the imagination of our customers.’

Available to everyone

JY FOOD LAB was launched in 2016. After their time in France, Jer Yenn and Jia Yi were convinced of their desire and ability to make French pâtisserie with Asian influences popular in their native Malaysia. Initially, they combined baking and cooking, creating both savoury and sweet dishes. ‘We started out focusing on the commercial market and supplying our products to cafés and restaurants. Jia Yi did wedding cakes and I mainly made small dishes for events’, says Jer Yenn. ‘That way we could explore the market and build brand awareness.’

As that brand awareness grew, JY FOOD LAB also began to focus on consumers. ‘After two years, we moved into new premises where we had the opportunity to offer private dining and workshops. We were just planning to expand further in the direction of a more professional kitchen when COVID brought all our activities to a standstill.’ The pandemic turned out to be something of a blessing in disguise for the young pastry chefs, however. ‘During the pandemic, we started to focus on what we love most: cake-making. We moved to our current location in 2021. Through our dedication to our products and by constantly looking at how we can do things differently and even better, we’ve built up a strong reputation. We’re now known for our exclusive cakes, which offer a wide and surprising range of flavours and textures. We still focus on the commercial market, but at the same time we want to make the most beautiful creations for consumers. Our aim is to put luxury delicacies within reach on an everyday basis.’

Show-stoppers

Most cakes and pastries for the commercial market are made to order. JY FOOD LAB works for cafés, restaurants and chains that want to sell pâtisserie with a French look. ‘By working to order, we can deliver bespoke products and respond properly to each customer’s unique wishes. That way we can be sure that they get the quality and look that suits their own menu.’ For their daily customers, Jer Yenn and Jia Yi make unique creations with their own signature. ‘Every cake we make reflects our love of both French pâtisserie and Asian flavours. We don’t make orders for the B2C market, but we do show a lot of innovativeness in terms of colour, taste and design. We present cakes and pastries that display innovation and reflect trends, but at the same time stay true to French techniques.’

Many loyal customers are fans of the quality and craftsmanship demonstrated by JY FOOD LAB. They order cakes for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries and other celebrations. ‘This customer base appreciates the effort we put into our cakes, the excellent flavours and the designs. They’re looking for treats that don’t just taste fantastic, but will also be real show-stoppers during their celebration.’

Opening a tasting room

For the Malay a love of French pâtisserie was not an obvious taste to acquire. It was only when the country won the Pastry World Cup in 2019 that demand for luxury pâtisserie with French influences took off. More and more people have come to appreciate the delicate techniques and flavours, bringing JY FOOD LAB an ever-growing customer base. ‘It wasn’t easy to combine French techniques with Asian flavours and ingredients at first’, they admit frankly. ‘There were no recipe books for this unique combination, so we had to discover a lot ourselves. We started experimenting actively and did a lot of research. You really have to understand all the facets of your ingredients to be able to work with them perfectly. We read a lot and tried everything in that early period, which was hugely instructive. Sometimes things went wrong, and at other times something would suddenly work. We were able to hold onto the techniques from French pâtisserie that are so important to us and at the same time be very innovative and introduce unique flavour combinations.’

‘The next step for JY FOOD LAB will be a shop and a tasting room’, say the young pastry chefs. ‘At present we work exclusively to order and through a webshop. We’d love to be able to receive our customers physically and also offer tastings, for example – this is a big dream of Jer Yenn’s. We think life is far too short to try just one flavour!’

JY FOOD LAB regularly works with other companies. It has collaborated with a business that sells soft steamed Bao buns. JY FOOD LAB created a sweet dessert filling for them, so that the product could be included in a festive Christmas menu box. JY FOOD LAB also worked with a local chocolate producer to be able to offer unique chocolate creations at holiday times. Above all, JY FOOD LAB works with Debic. ‘Its high-quality dairy products enable us to come up time and again with new creations that showcase their excellent products even more effectively.’