Award-winning Yves Matthey joined Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, in 1987, as executive pastry chef. He is responsible for a team of 30, oversees the production of pastry for all the hotel restaurants, room service, banqueting, and outside catering events, not to mention the renowned Mandarin Cake Shop.

He has a passion for all things sweet and likes to explore new areas of being a pastry chef. His latest challenge was the co-creation of the hotel's new luxury chocolate line, Chocolate Therapy launched last month.

As sweet as his creations, he shares more about his background, what inspires him, and the creation of Chocolate Therapy, which he hopes will have international recognition within two years.

Why did you decide to become a chef, and why a pastry chef?



I have had a passion for food from an early age, I find food to be amazing – to be able to create something and make people smile.

I had originally thought about becoming an executive chef, but I didn't want to kill animals so I went into pastry, which I love. I love the creativity I have as a pastry chef and also being able to use my hands to express myself.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
Creativity, the totally open nature of being a pastry chef, the scope. Access to a range of fantastic products; it is incredible to me what I can do. The diversity of the work gives me rewards and much happiness.

What is the most challenging?
Passing on my passion and knowledge to the younger generation chefs. Being a pastry chef is not an easy profession, it requires artistic, technical and creative abilities. Some pick it up quicker than others but I need to be patient and give them time to refine their skills. They also need to be patient, which can be hard to do in today's internet, everything-now world; to teach passion today is a challenge. Being successful, means having you heart in your work.

Insert MOHK Cake Shop

On the creative side it can be a challenge when mixing and tasting to come up with the perfect balance. It is very important that the taste and visual aspects of a pastry or chocolate are in harmony – this is a challenge I face on a regular basis.

What inspires your creativity?
The source of inspiration is really hard to pin point. I get a lot of inspiration from seeing new products on the market because there’s always something new or different coming out and that raises your level of creativity. I get a lot of ideas just from experimenting with ingredients and seeing what works. And finally, a lot of inspiration comes from the idea of delighting our customer, and I really like the idea of seeing how much our guests enjoy what we have created.

Does working with mostly sweet items, make you crave savoury food?
No, I love eating sweet things, especially chocolate. Everyday I eat chocolate, I love it! I really enjoy the taste and different textures of sweet foods. For me it is must to eat daily.

Even at home, I will make biscuits and chocolates.

Tell me more about the experience of creating the Chocolate Therapy range (details below) that you co-created with your colleague and executive chef, Uwe Opocensky?

Link “Uwe Opocensky” to http://www.womguide.com/program/feature/feature24.php...at the end of Feature 24 it says “part 2 to posted soon”...pls change to “click here for part 2.” and link that to http://www.womguide.com/program/feature/feature29.php

It took more than six months for the chocolate range to be complete. It began with ideas from the Krug Room dinners, and I was keen to challenge myself with chocolates. We did research into available raw ingredient products so we could develop ideas using the latest products. I also went to Paris several times on tasting trips.



Of course we did a lot of tasting, a lot. We had a multicultural team on the creative team and this was of benefit, because different nationalities have different tastes and palates and having diverse input enabled us to combine it all and come up with something great.

We used around one tonne of chocolate. It was important to find the best chocolate and products to use.

I worked on the project on a daily basis. I opened myself to using unexpected or unusual flavours and textures that at first I was a little hesitant to use, but I just thought yes, let's go in a different direction. We had successes, and the odd failure.

The range is bright, fresh and it has something for all tastes and ages. It was an exciting project to be part of and I feel very proud of the range. It has been a wonderful challenge to realise the concept.

We have developed some excellent flavours and in the future we will be expanding the line as new products come to the market. It is very exciting to me to continue to develop the range, it is almost like research and I am inspired to take it even further than we have so far.

In what ways do you think the CT range is unique in Hong Kong?



The range itself, as it includes chocolates that are modern right through to traditional, classic chocolates.

The colours...our blue chocolates for example, the blue colouring is organic, and we also use organic flavours.

The strong flavours, such as the raw range - the chocolate allows the flavours of the other ingredients, such as nuts to be more prominent.



Because the range is complete it appeals to all generations. They are being received well by the public, and by longtime guests...in the first week of the range being available sales increased by 15 per cent and we already have repeat customers, who are ordering gift boxers for others to try. Hong Kong people are open to trying new things and people have already identified with the range.

What is your favourite and why?
I like the technicality of the MOrbit range, and of course the Airbrush range.  I also love them because they have the more unusual flavours and textures. I was surprised when creating the Airbrush range to discover how flavours such as violet and eucalyptus play and interact with the chocolate; they are both very sharp flavours but also very nice.

Also the Y range, based on a classic praline-style chocolate but we have had fun with the ingredients, such as using Oreos. They have a modern look but are also classic at the same time.

Insert Chocolate Therapy Y

Where is the chocolate sourced from?
We sampled chocolate from all over the world, looking for the best and most appropriate. We tried more than 35 different types, before we decided. We currently source from France, Switzerland and Belgium. We may use some in the future that we didn't this time but found interesting, such as a very rough, raw textured chocolate from Mexico.

We also mix our own, using raw ingredients from Europe.

What's the secret to making delicious chocolates?
Passion. You need to love chocolate and also enjoy eating it. And also you need to love pleasing people. You have to be happy and passionate yourself before you can give others happiness.

Knowledge and research – how to work with chocolate, how to store it, how it reacts with different ingredients etc.

The Y range is named after you, how does it feel to have a range named after you and in what why are the chocolates a reflection of you?
That was my decision. I have worked for the hotel for 25 years, it was time to brand my creations and put myself out there in the public eye.



The range is reflective in that it is modern in approach but with roots to the past and traditions. Roots with continuity, always evolving, with new creativity. Exploring something totally different and new while not forgetting my roots.

Author's note : The range is a must try, there really is something for all tastes and they have that wow factor that makes them highly addictive. See below for details.

by Vicki Williams
October 2008

Chocolate Therapy: “Arranged into 40 flavours and 11 “families”, the Chocolate Therapy range offers a treasure trove of delights, artfully combining the classic art of chocolate making with a contemporary. edge.”

Dusted: Chocolates sprinkled with a light dusting of colourful powdered sugar.
D1: rosemary
D2: verbena

SixByFour: A traditional block of chocolate, six squares long by four squares wide, in white,
milk and dark chocolate.
S1: black sesame in white chocolate
S2: lava sea salt and olive oil in white chocolate
S3: raspberry crisp in white chocolate
S4: cardamom and smoke in dark chocolate
S5: nougatine in milk chocolate

Forbidden: Apple sized and available in tempting green or red, the dark chocolate exterior
hides an exciting textured filling.
B1: freeze-dried raspberry
B2: salted wasabi nut.

Raw: Rough and rugged, using natural, unrefined ingredients.
R1: roasted coffee beans in dark chocolate
R2: candied fruits and nuts with lava sea salt in white chocolate
R3: nuts (roast coconut, macadamia and almond) in milk chocolate
R4: feuillantine in orange-scented milk chocolate
R5: crunchy pearls in white chocolate.



Graffiti: Chocolate sprayed in a graffiti style.
G1: mango-lime pate de fruit in milk chocolate ganache
G2 cherry pate de fruit in dark chocolate ganache
G3: red wine pate de fruit in dark chocolate ganache.

Air Brush: Colourful chocolate in the shape of a cocoa bean.
A1: rose in creamy milk chocolate truffle
A2: eucalyptus in milk chocolate truffle infusion
A3: violet in a dark chocolate truffle infusion.

MOrbit: A play on the Mandarin Oriental name, these filled chocolate hemispheres were
inspired by a dessert in the Krug Room called “universe” and are reminiscent of moons
orbiting a planet.
M1: cassis pate de fruit in dark chocolate ganache
M2: salted caramel in toffee chocolate ganache
M3: rum and banana in chocolate truffle
M4: raspberry puree and liquor in white chocolate ganache
M5: passion fruit in dark chocolate ganache

Tease: Square slivers of chocolate, inspired by a well-known minty after-dinner chocolate:
T1: peppermint
T2: praline
T3: liquorice

Percentage: Alluding to the percentage of cocoa present, these finger-shaped truffles are
available in:
P1: 66%
P2: 72%
P3: 38%
P4: 40%



Classic: The classic praline with a twist.
C1: Chinese sesame caramelised walnut praline
C2: crunchy red sugared almond praline
C3: praline hazelnuts

Y: Named after Executive Pastry Chef, Yves Matthey, who co-created the range.
Y1: Oreo and almond praline
Y2: roasted, caramelised peanut and sea salt
Y3: praline and pop rocks
Y4: sesame and crunchy hazelnut praline
Y5: tonka bean in dark, bitter chocolate truffle