Wooohooooo!!!! My first blog ever. This site has existed way before French Kisses Patisserie did. That was when Ben was still working hard in Australia at the Race Course in Adelaide and as for me, I was a fresh Graduate. I did my studies at Le Cordon Bleu (http://www.lecordonbleu.com.au/) for my International Hotel & Resort Management and University South Australia for my Bachelor of Business. Crazy times!!! Anyway, that will have to be another story.
So yes back to after I graduate, like any other fresh graduates, you become so lost. You don't know whether you want to continue your studies or you should be like all adults and try to be "responsible" for once in your life. I tried applying for 20 jobs per day and that went on for a few months. Guess what their replies would be? "You're not qualify enough." "You have no experience." Seriously, for a cafe job? I am not qualify? Pfffttt... yea right!!
My dreams was always to open up a cafe or even a little patisserie. I may be qualify to managing it but I am no way qualify in baking in the kitchen. At that moment, Ben was not happy working at his workplace as well. So, we decided on the same goal and I gathered all my courage and told my parents about wanting to open up a little cafe. Honestly, they were excited about it (not the fact about the cafe, but the fact that I am coming back to stay in Malaysia) When I had a discussion with them, I knew that I will never be able to start a business in Australia especially with the currency conversion rate, not having any connections for interior designers/ solicitors/ builders etc, high cost of any government fees to start a local business and lastly *point blank too* my parents would never want to invest big especially on something they have to clue about. Even though, we agreed upon their request we would open up in Village Mall, Sungai Petani, they were quite unsure this patisserie of us would work. Description of my dad's character: man in the family, a "typical old fashioned" chinese man, his words are gold!! So of course to him, our business are described to be a child's play. (p/s: he knows he's wrong now. so his resolution: doesnt ask us anything that has to do with our business)
some samples of what a patisserie should be and look like:
Fauchon (Paris)
Laduree (Paris)
Laduree (Paris)
These places just make you want to open up one on your own ;)
Well even though the shop French Kisses Patisserie ended up in Sungai Petani, we are still be able to collect most of our ingredients from other countries. (LUCKY!!) Do you know how expensive and hard to get Valrhona Chocolate in Australia? DAMN HARD!! Its $100 per kilo= RM360!!! Consider we have to drive down to KL to pick up all our food ingredients, we still don't have to pay as much as just buying chocolates in Australia even though they might send it to our doorsteps.
The other thing that is making us striving so well in SP is that people do love us :) haha... I mean seriously, a lot of people have underestimated SP people for being frugal, strange etc. Well I have to agree on the strange part but frugal? NO!! People in SP are getting more sophisticated and well educated. For instance, a lot people around our age were sent overseas to study. AIMST itself applies to a lot of medical students from other states and even overseas. Plus, you tend to save up a lot of money by not having to spend on anything in SP ;)
In the end, we made the right choice to open our little patisserie in SP!! In a small town, anything that is excellent, you tend to create a bigger buzz than being in a big city. Words travel so much faster than our Malaysia broadband internet! Hence, we would like to thank everyone who has supported us from the beginning. You know who you are and you're always on our minds. (Who would they be?? Well its you silly!! You are our biggest fan ever!! and only you would take some time to read this!!) There won't be any French Kisses Patisserie if it isn't without your support!!
Love Always,
MelodyXx
hehe. AIMST AIMST AIMST hehe. im studying in aimst too and i love FKP. the first ever in sp =)
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