The journey of sweet magic
From humble beginnings, Simon Ip was one of the lucky few to discover his lifelong calling early in life. As a child, the simple challenge of creating a cake to celebrate his mother’s birthday garnered such a positive reaction that lit a fire in the young child’s heart – to pursue dessert making and bring smiles and the joy of sharing to all around him. Decades later, having navigated pastry shops and five-star hotels in his native Hong Kong, Simon began to wonder what more could be done with Hong Kong’s traditional pastry. Simon’s thirst for knowledge landed him in Japan, under the tutelage of national pastry chef Haruo Yokomizo（Lilienberg）. Under his guidance, Simon learned to incorporate Japanese pastry craftsmanship into his Pastry making – as well as embody the values of continual improvement, staunch work ethic, and the confidence and perseverance needed to reach a customer’s heart through their tastebuds! To achieve the chocolate coating's unique crunchiness, Chef Yokomizo will repeatedly flatten the chocolate, cool it, and spread it in such a way as to create a thick glaze that maintains a delicate taste. Although spartan and straightforward in appearance, good quality cakes will always make people smile. The lessons taken to heart, Simon continued his culinary quest in France, learning to become fluent in the artistry of traditional French pastry at Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie to enhance his magic further – bringing people happiness. Simon and his elder brother Kenneth opened their first sweet magic shop in 2002, Breadtop. The flagship shop’s success was entrenched in their combined ability to integrate Asian and Western influences into pastries to introduce a new and diverse flavour in pastries to the market. Now, Breadtop has opened more than 70 franchises in major cities across Australia to bring a little bit of sweet magic into every household. The journey may yet reach a full circle, as the next exciting step in this saga will see Simon and Kenneth set their sights globally. The magical receipt can't go far without the top of the line ingredients. Recipes are only as good as the ingredients used and the skill of the craftsman in his craft. At Breadtop, the selection of key ingredients and flavour combinations is a side quest in itself. Simon often travels around the world searching for inspiration sources – and will never forget the sources of the best ingredients. Amongst Breadtop’s many breadwinning options are a blend of the following ingredients: Japanese flour contains a higher protein proportion and can bring out a softer, fluffier texture while preserving its unique and delicate taste. Belgian chocolate remains the go-to for its thick, mellow texture and flavour. Malaysia’s Musang King – or Durian fruit’s popularity creates a blend perfectly within the Breadtop range. Special mentions to go Taiwan’s famous pork floss and Aiwen mango, Vietnamese taro, Thailand’s glutinous rice flour, and once again, French fresh fruit puree and more. While we were searching globally for the best ingredients, we didn't let go of all the top-quality eggs, dairy, and red beans from Australia.
