20 May,2026 09:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Phorum Pandya
Janice Wong
Dessert artist and chef Janice Wong is no stranger to Mumbai. We met her for the first time in 2017, during the international food festival, World on a Plate. Her luggage had not arrived, but yet appeared calm. Over the years, she has visited the country several times, showcasing her edible installations and dessert offerings. This time, the dessert queen, who keeps fit with yoga, is flying by to showcase her curations for a newly introduced High Tea Ceremony at Madeleine de Proust in Fairmont Hotel next to Mumbai's T2 airport.
Bon Bon, chocolates and high tea offerings by Janice Wong. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Her Instagram handle reveals that she has been out and about with resident chefs to immerse herself in Mumbai flavours. "No one has turned the vada pav into a dessert yet," she shares, before the event. "We'd need a sweet batter, and some ideation for the filling."
Wong has worked with many Indian ingredients for the first time: Savoury Boondi Caviar, Sweet Gulkand to Jalebi. The Mushroom Truffle Choux gets a savoury jalebi chip and the madeleine gets a caramelised jaggery and coconut touch. The standout Coffee Orchid, Pistachio Saffron Financier is an indulgence while the Shrikhand Mousse Tart with Savoury Boondi has remnants of familiarity expressed in a new way. The Asian classic drink inspired Gula Melaka Pandan Coffee dessert is a house favourite from her 2 am Dessert Bar back home.
Guests participate in a chocolate painting workshop. The coloured white chocolate is served warm to be able to make strokes
Ranked Asia's Best Pastry Chef by World's 50 Best twice, in 2013 and 2014, Wong approaches her craft as a medium of expression for her art. We are reminded of the table-top art piece she created with flavours of peach a decade ago. Her pieces have just increased in size and even taken a 3D form. Wong recently exhibited Singapore's largest chocolate tunnel installation at Paragon Mall. "We are doing the same thing in Thailand. I expect people to come through and eat off the walls," she reveals. Wong recently built an edible tunnel installation at Paragon Mall. "We are doing the same thing in Thailand. I expect people to come through and eat off the walls," she reveals.
Wong worked with the hotel's florist to create a stand to place sweet and savoury delicacies
The next best trend she's betting on is wellness and sourcing good ingredients. She has built Rei, a zero-sugar content brand. From the collection she makes us try turmeric and sesame chocolate iteration, made from Indonesian cacao beans. "Superfoods are another hit. You can be extremely creative with tonnes of flavours," she opines.
Inspired by her art, we get a hands-on session of painting with chocolate, only to discover it is not as easy as it looks. Wong, a self-taught artist, says chocolate sets fast, so one has to be quick. We ape her splashing technique, and get an acceptable abstract result on the bar.
Log on to: @janicewong2am
Pradeep Sable, executive pastry chef, Fairmont Hotel, says, "Food changes every 100 kilometres. When someone travels from another country, they come with new ingredients, new cooking style, and it is a great knowledge exchange of techniques and food products. With Janice, we look forward to curating not only a high tea experience, but also gifting boxes and night craving hampers for our guests."
