Meet Peachy Juban
Pastry Chef
Filipino Chef Peachy Juban is the woman beehind the pastry shop SHORTCRUST opened in 1994. She also teaches at De La Salle College of St.Benilde and organises masterclasses for professionals. After a university education in hotel-restaurant management, she joind Manila's Mandarin Oriental.
The Chef - who confesses never having imagined she could one day have a career in pastry making - found her calling when she became a professor.
She shares with us her love for her work and her vision of the French Touch.
The Chef - who confesses never having imagined she could one day have a career in pastry making - found her calling when she became a professor.
She shares with us her love for her work and her vision of the French Touch.
- WHAT ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INSPIRATION?
- Art and travels have always given me interesting ideas.
The European country which has moved me the most is France. The French excellence I experienced in Paris and the global gastronomy temple that is Lyon remain as a top source of inspiration. - HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE FRENCH EXCELLENCE?
- The word that immediately comes to my mind is commitment. French standards are renowned throughout the world for their impeccable requirements. There is genuine French pride in pastry making, an integral part of the national patrimony. In France, a career in pastry is a tradition and heritage that is cultivated and passed down.
- WHAT IS YOUR VISION OF THE FRENCH TOUCH?
- For me, the French Touch is first and foremost a synonym of elegance. It is a concept comprising of French influence in fashion, beauty, art, and lifestyle. The French Touch embodies a certain sophistication that is typically French.
It struck me each time I was in Paris where I found pastry shops very chic, as much as in the creations featured as in the stores’ visual identity and design. Behind that, the French Touch is a great investment in time, talent and emotion. - WHAT ARE THE PHILIPPINES’ SPECIFICITIES IN TERMS OF PASTRY MAKING?
- Certainly the visual is very important, but I teach my students that a balance between flavours, textures and the fairness of taste are also essential. The Philippines is complex due to its many influences. Among many other things, the Spanish gave us the merienda—a morning and afternoon snack in addition to meals. Other European, Asian, Northern and Southern American countries also have significant contributions. This multiculturalism is linked to the history of the country and its diaspora.
The culinary and pastry making industries have never been as dynamic as today, thanks to social media. A fact that we must integrate as chefs is that customers are more demanding than before because of what they see on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube… An important lesson learned while guiding the national team for the 2015 World Pastry Cup—an extraordinary adventure!—was that chefs also must take climatic conditions into account. Candidates who competed in Lyon were able to realise just how ingredients react differently there from the way we are familiar with in the Philippines. - WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ELLE & VIRE PROFESSIONNEL ®?
- Humidity is strong and constant in the Philippines. Therefore, it is imperative to work with quality products. I have always favoured Elle & Vire Professionnel ® for their performance and constancy. Wherever I am in the world, I prefer to make pastry with the Elle & Vire Professionnel ® Excellence Whipping Cream 35.1% fat and the Elle & Vire Professionnel ® Gourmet Butter 82% fat. I am very grateful to have the support of the brand and the distributor Santini Foods Specialists in the Philippines. Elle & Vire Professionnel ® is by my side at my shop, in school and during my masterclasses. For students, using products of high standards from the beginning of their training expedites their learning and establishes loyalty to Elle & Vire Professionnel ®.
The Elle & Vire Professionnel ® website is an information treasure trove that keeps me informed of the latest trends through its newsletter. I also use the programme dedicated to chefs to draw ideas for my classes. It is my 100% pastry making YouTube channel! - WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS RECIPE?
- It was dear to me to feature a recipe with local flavour. This millefeuille is inspired by the turón, which was my favourite delicacy as a child. We prepare it with Saba banana rolled in brown sugar and fried until they take a beautiful golden colour. Traditionally, jackfruit and sesame seeds are used as complements. It is a typical dessert that we find at street stalls.