Martin Morand won the Nordic Pastry Cup together with Jessica Sandberg, he won Coupe Europe with the Swedish Pastry Team. He was also the winner of the Swedish Dessert Master’s in 2015. I asked Martin some questions;
What is the best part of baking?
– I really like the creative part of it, and that it never ends up in the same way. You can of course always control parts of it, but if you for example make a sourdough then it has it’s own life. I enjoy the part where you learn how it works in different temperatures. I have always liked to analyse, and I am a perfectionist who will be disappointed when I fail. Also, when I bake something I want to improve it all the time.
Your greatest credibility?
– When I won the European Coupe de Monde.
What pastry is your favourite?
– I like everything with berries, and especially the combination berry and chocolate. Many pastry chefs are not very used to bake with the Swedish berries. But there is so much nice Swedish Berries. For example, why don’t we use red currants and chocolate more? It is a great combination!
Is there anything you miss when you visit a restauarant?
– I think people put to little effort into the desserts. Many restaurants work with semifinished products. It is better to serve smaller deserts with a better quality, and then it doesn’t need to be a question about money.
Do you bake at home?
– Not very often, mainly when it is holiday season. My wife Malin bakes a lot, she is a pastry chef at Olof Viktors.
When and why did you become a pastry chef?
– My grandfather has is own bakery in Vellinge, Hans Bagare. As a little kid I spent a lot of time there. Me and my cousins always built ginger bread houses together, and already as a little kid I wanted to develop it to something more. I did sketches before we started to bake. And I didn’t choose to become a pastry chef, I rather do pretty and more creative desserts. And I actually became a chef first of all!
Your favorite food destination?
– For food it is Italy, and for pastry France.
Who has been your biggest source to inspiration in your careerV?
– Jan Hedh was the first to inspire me after my grand father, and then Daniel Roos when he competed in the Swedish Team. Mattias Ljungberg is also a nice and humble source to inspiration that he loves to share. He still inspires me a lot! And he always answer all my questions, he dare to share! And I am the same, I think that the more people with a big knowledge the bigger the interest will be. And then people will want to ask for more.
Your favorite kitchen tool?
– A kitchen scale and a kitchen thermometer.
Could you share one of your food memories with us?
– A favourite food memory is when I ate at Daniel Berlin, a very nice and laid-back food experience! We looked at everything he grows, had a drink outside.. The whole experience was fantastic.
And my visit to Fäviken is a great food memory!! But also when I am out fishing, you have a nice barbecue and cook outside. It is always very nice.
What is the best with competing with Jessica Sandberg?
– We have so much to larm from each other, she is a real baker and pastry chef. I am a chef. It is nice to challenge each other!
When did you stop being a chef?
– In 2015 when I won the Dessert Masters. It opened up a lot of new doors. I started as a consultant after that, I like to help other pastry chefs to develop themself, and to make them curious. It is nice to help people to think in another way than the one they are used to. I like to share my knowledge with others, it is so east that you get stuck with old habits. To see people reach new goals is fantastic!
What is the procedure when you compete?
– I analyse older Coupe de Monde while watching them. You also have to set your mind to an international way of thinking. It should be a nice balance in-between the Swedish and the International.
I like to be prepared both mentally, but also with as much knowledge as possible! And to understand all the theoretical pieces so that I can beat all the others!
Interview and photo by Malin Nordblom
Text and photo Malin Nordblom
Fab Foodie Swede
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The interview was first published in Swedish at www.gourmet.se
