Indonesia, like most Asian countries, does not have a strong pastry culture like European countries. The culinary staples and ingredients here are mostly spicy foods mixed with various herbs. There are some pastry legacies from the era of Dutch colonization in the region but it is not highly popular among the masses.

In recent years, however, pastries have become increasingly popular among the urban middle class. There is a growing variety of European-style pastries of different cuts, shapes and colors in upscale malls and food boutiques.

With the increasing popularity, three Indonesian pastry chef teams – the Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts (APCA), Grand Hyatt Hotel Indonesia and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Indonesia – recently competed in the Indonesian Pastry Cup, which also featured renowned Pastry Master Chef Jean-François Arnaud as the competition's head judge.

The teams had to impress Arnaud, who said that a great pastry had to be visually appealing, clean and neat in different aspects – from colors, textures to shininess – and topped with some simple decorations. Arnaud also demanded a perfect pastry’s inside should be clean and clear when it is cut. Finally, what makes a lasting experience is the taste of the pastry itself, with the combination of flavors and textures that one can discover upon the very first bite.

Eventually, the APCA team, represented by Chef Glenn N. P. Rotinsulu and Chef Christian Dewabrata, won the competition with their unique citrus flavored pastry design and their selection of desserts that included Chocolate Cake, Plated Dessert, Chocolate Display and Sugar Display.

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