Meet Grégoire Michaud, The Chef Who Created Hong Kong’s Most Viral Bakehouse Egg Tart
He tells 8days.sg about expanding his Bakehouse chain to more international locations (like… Singapore?)
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“I remember feeling so delighted and intrigued to see these mini tarts in small paper cups at dim sum. I savoured every bite.”
Viral sourdough egg tart
Fast forward almost 20 years, chef Grégoire would put his own spin on the Chinese daan tart to create a sourdough version, one which would spawn a business empire called Bakehouse. It currently has six outlets, including a cafe at its flagship in Wan Chai.
It’s almost impossible to avoid queueing at any of the outlets. Once upon a time, the must-go places in Hong Kong were popular cha chaan tengs and roast goose joints. Now, tourists are also adding a Bakehouse pitstop to their itineraries.
One rainy day in Tsim Sha Tsui, we saw a long line of people huddled under umbrellas, determined to buy chef Grégoire’s sourdough egg tarts housed in the bakery’s distinct blue and white boxes. “The scones are nice too,” a couple of Singaporeans in the queue told us (the line moves surprisingly fast, in true Hong Kong fashion). Other than egg tarts, the brand also offers other pastries like croissants, danishes and scones.”
The origin story
To think chef Grégoire created a sourdough egg tart only because he didn’t want to waste excess dough. “I would say that it was born out of my love for egg tarts and trying to find a sustainable way to use all of the ingredients we had to ensure nothing goes to waste, especially with leftover pastry dough,” he shared.
He had actually started Bakehouse with the croissant as his hero product, and also supplied wholesale sourdough bread made with an 18-year-old yeast starter. In keeping with a bakers’ tradition of naming their sourdough starter, which is considered a living organism almost akin to a pet, he called it Roger.
While he declined to elaborate on whether he had expected the sourdough egg tart to be such a success, he opined that a good egg tart offers a “perfect mix” of textures and flavours.
He added: “The pastry crust should be nice and flaky, giving you that satisfying crunch when you bite into it. The crust should be light and buttery, flaky enough to break apart easily but still strong enough to hold the filling. The custard filling should be smooth and velvety, with just the right amount of sweetness, but not too sweet. A little caramelisation on top adds a nice touch.”
On his expansion plans
Hong Kong’s F&B and retail industries were hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, with brands closing outlets or exiting the market. Contrary to the trend, Bakehouse is expanding by adding another four HK outlets by 2025. “We have also been approached about expanding outside of Hong Kong,” said Chef Grégoire.
Well, does that mean Singapore will soon get its own Bakehouse outpost? ”Time will tell where our first international location will be,” he teased.
For Bakehouse’s outlet locations, go to www.bakehouse.hk/locations
Photos: Yip Jieying
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