My Selection: Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?

Frederic Deshayes: After having spent several years teaching in my home country, France, at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, I opened the first Lenôtre boutique in Seoul. I then worked as a pastry chef for Pierre Hermé, in the five-star Plaza Athenee Hotel in Paris together with celebrity chef Christophe Michalak, for Patisserie Gregory Collet in Japan, Paris Croissant by Lenôtre in South Korea and had stints in Belgium and Britain. When I was working in Japan, I learned the basics of bakery with a French baker I was working with and subsequently spent nights experimenting and perfecting my breads. I have then spent the last 10 years in Singapore as Head of the Pastry and Bakery Department at At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy. During my time in Singapore, I found it a challenge to find simple good French bread and decided to start Do.Main Bakery & Café, which offers the best of what a French bakery and French patisserie has to offer in one domain – artisanal breads and pastries prepared with classic French techniques. The Café spotlights a full range of breads and pastries, including the must-have baguette and other French breads, puff pastries, tarts, Danish pastries, choux pastries to entremets. It also offers a menu of savouries, such as sandwiches, quiches, charcuterie platters and hot dishes (duck confit, tartiflette and beef bourguignon). To match my uncompromising standards, I only use the best ingredients: French dairy products, Valrhona chocolate and wheat flour imported from France. Do.Main Bakery is also one of the few places to serve up an authentic baguette, the quintessential French bread. A classic French baguette should have a good crust, which can only be achieved by a longer fermentation time and baking period, as well as excellent timing. My Moto? “There’s no hard pastry to make. The most challenging part is to repeat the consistency of taste and the quality of the pastries every day.

MS: What does your job entail exactly?

FD: Looking after everything to ensure business is running, mainly involve in pastry and bread production when I”m done with all admin work.

MS: How long have you been living in Singapore and what brought you there?

FD: I’m in singapore since May 2006 where I joined a private culinary school named “At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy” where I created a Pastry & Bakery program with a diploma level accredited by the Singapore government and used as support for them on Diploma under WSQ framework in 2008.

MS: With work done, how do you like spending your free time in the Lion City?

FD: Cycling in mountain bike at Bukit Timah or Pula Ubin.

MS: Singapore is famously a melting pot of cultures and, as a result, also of multiple cuisines. What are your favorites?

FD: Peranakan food, especially “Ayam Buah Keluak” but also local pastries based on black glutinous rice, coconut or gula malaka like Pulut itam, Onde-onde, Kueh lapis steamed or baked.

MS: Where do you like to have dinner in Singapore? Could you name your Top 3 picks among restaurants, bars & cafes in Singapore?

FD: For local food, Chilli Padi at Katong, for the French touch or for a drink, Bar-Roque at Tanjong Pagar, and in memory for my time spend in Korea, Chang BBQ at Dempsey hill.

Styled and shot by Chang BBQ

MS: Selecting wine depends very much on the occasion. When do you like to drink wine? On its own / with a meal / alone / with company?

FD: Mainly with friend during a nice dinner, rarely alone.

MS: Are there any wines that you particularly like and would recommend to our readers? Or maybe you have your favorite pairings with the food you mentioned before?

FD: My Favourite is a mono cepage “Coteaux du Layon” – Chenin blanc from Val de loire. It can pair very well with roasted white meat or Dessert (French or Asian).