Minjung Kim, CEO of Happyhappy.cake
and Monthly Cookie
Diplôme de Pâtisserie 2012 & Diplôme de Boulangerie 2018
What made you learn French pastry at Le Cordon Bleu-Sookmyung Academy?
I prefer starting with something definite when starting something new. That was the obvious reason why I chose Le Cordon Bleu. Before becoming a pastry chef, I had a different job, so I wanted to study pastry from the basics properly. I enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu because I thought it was the best place in Korea to learn and master the fundamentals of authentic French pastry.
Why did you decide to take the baking course after graduating from the pastry course?
Pastry and Bakery are so interconnected that it is difficult to consider them apart. Especially if you consider the ever-changing domestic market, I thought it would not be easy to run a shop by putting pastry on one side and bakery on another. As I also give baking classes, I think taking the baking course would enlarge the spectrum of my teaching. Also, while I was enrolled in the pastry course at Le Cordon Bleu, I observed how my baker colleagues worked as well as the products they made, these intrigued me and led me to take the bakery program as well.
What kind of work did you do after graduating?
Happyhappy.cake started as a baking class. I used to bake merely as a hobby but after properly learning the principles of baking I thought it would be nice to share this knowledge with students who might be curious about it. Teaching is rewarding and enjoyable, so I am still giving classes. Also, like every pastry chef, I also had this desire to sell the dessert I’ve made and to be recognized for them by my customers. That desire led me to open a cake store and run it along with my classes. Currently, along with the academy and the dessert shop, I am also steadily selling some gâteaux de voyage via online and giving online pastry classes. Adding to this, among many other works, I am currently writing a pastry recipe book, cooperating with a pastry-ingredient-related company, conducting seminars, introducing new products in magazines and so forth.
What was the biggest change you experienced after taking the courses at Le Cordon Bleu?
The dream of becoming a pâtissier which seemed distant started to feel more real. While I was attending Le Cordon Bleu, I gradually gained some confidence. Those were times when I did not simply learn the ways to make certain biscuits, I also learned the basics and the responsibility that a pâtissier should have, and the joy and the confidence for doing this job. The chefs and the colleagues that I met at the academy also made me realize that I had become a patisserie.
How do you manage your time in your busy days of operating the store, teaching and writing a book?
Indeed, it would have been nice if I could manage them separately, but I am not doing so well on that matter. I divide the work with my colleagues and then try to decide the priorities. But I never have enough time. Even now, although I am doing this interview, I am worried about the things I need to do today.
Where to you get your inspiration to develop your menus?
I try to go out a lot and see a lot and try to get my inspiration from various experiences. When you work, you are always short of time, but I always try to make time for new things. To come up with a new menu, I think you must constantly learn and study. So, I read a lot and try not to miss any news about the industry.
What is your most memorable episode from the academy?
When I took the bakery course, our class had very good teamwork. There is no one specific episode that comes to my mind, but through the baking course, I remember learning the importance of teamwork and the joy of working together.
After 10 years as a pastry chef, what are the changes you observed in the domestic pastry market and what are your prospects?
I think that the domestic market is so sensitive to trends that maintaining a business steadily is difficult. Many big and small shops have continued to open and close. However, compared to before, many shops with their own individuality and characteristics have appeared, and as a current pâtissier, they are my driving force not to stay steeped in the old ways but to continue trying. For me to make prospects on the market is not easy but I can tell you one thing: more shops with their own color will appear, but in this market, only those equipped with the basics for the long run, which are ‘taste’, ‘quality’ and ‘consistency’, will be able to survive.
What tips do you have for fellow students who dream of starting their own business?
Starting a business is not an easy task. However, I believe that what is even more difficult than starting a business is maintaining and keeping it running successfully. Instead of just focusing on the excitement of starting a business, I hope you also think about how long and well you can manage it. Baking is a very joyful job, but it can also be very challenging.
What are your future goals and plans?
I want to continue learning, thinking, and researching so that I can become a better pastry chef tomorrow than I am today. I want to add more unique elements to Happyhappy.cake's desserts and become a shop that inspires customers, students, and colleagues who visit us. Ultimately, I want to become someone who inspires others and a shop that embodies that spirit.
To me, Le Cordon Bleu is?
The place that gave me the confidence to become a pastry chef.
