être Patisserie was named after the phrase Raison d’ete, where être means “purpose”, the perfect name for the pastry shop that embodies its founder’s calling. Ann Lee is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Paris with a truly start-studded résumé, having worked in multiple award-winning Michelin star restaurants including Alain Ducasse Paris and Joel Robuchon. She eventually decided to return to her hometown of Ipoh with the goal of sharing French pastries and viennoiserie with her fellow Malaysians. Located in a gorgeous glasshouse, Ann’s bakery is more than just the home of Malaysia’s finest baked goods, but is also a platform for young people to discover their être and awaken their inner lion too.

“Be dare to dream: having that ability to dream is very important because that’s how you will envision things. ” - Ann Lee

Timestamps:

00:00 - The birth of Ann’s Wonderbar during her education downtime

4:15 - Ending up in Paris: From pursuing a business degree to Le Cordon Bleu Paris

8:35 - Working with Michelin star restaurants: “If you’re not doing your best, you’re out of the game.”

11:42 - The truth behind landing jobs at Michelin star restaurants without connections

15:29 - “Spirit of Excellence”

16:42 - Introducing French pastries to Ipohrians

19:02 - Creating a platform for the next generation to grow and find their purpose

21:15 - Being humiliated and pushed out of the community

24:50 - Choosing Malaysia over Paris

27:57  - The creative process at être Patisserie

32:06 - New project: Ferment Boulangerie

32:46 - “Dare to Dream”