Cover Pastry chef Ariel Millaman (Photo: Ariel Millaman)
Pastry chef Ariel Millaman (Photo: Ariel Millaman)
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We speak to the award-winning pastry chef about how he creates his innovative desserts
“There are similarities between the role of a pastry chef and that of a graphic designer, artist, or fashion designer,” Ariel Millaman says when asked about his approach to creating desserts. These unconventional creations, which you may have tried during his time at Mano or from his dessert tasting menu at Akar Dining, often incorporate typically savoury ingredients such as pork, anchovies, and chillies. “Designers have to match colours and are inspired by their surrounding environment, and I replicate that in the kitchen,” he continues.
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Millaman, who is currently based at Juno, a newly opened wine bar located just beside Coley, sees that ingredients are utilised to their full potential. “For instance, in my mind, a combination that would work is stir-fried broccoli and pastry cream,” he suggests. “You have the fat from the cool pastry cream, the crunchiness from the hot broccoli, and the contrast in temperature between the two—all that is needed is an acidic component, which I would take from fruit that is in season.”
Rather than hiding conventionally savoury ingredients with sugar or chocolate, which he feels is done all too often (he gives the example of avocado blended with chocolate or hidden within desserts), he lets it shine, unlocking its potential. “Whether fish or pork, it is important to show the ingredient that is being used, then balance it with what is offered from the world of pastry,” he says.
A fitting example is a dessert he created using white garlic cream from Spain. “When you eat the paste alone, it is good and does not need to be altered or covered up,” he explains. “What I need to do is add a component that ties everything together and makes it into a dessert.”
Doing things atypically often calls for criticism, which Millaman is more than accepting of. “When something is new and uncomfortable, you have to be prepared that not everyone will like it,” he says. “When customers hate everything or react angrily, it means I have done something that does not fall within the boundaries of what is regular.”
He compares being a successful chef to being a fashion designer: “When a new collection is presented at a fashion week, people may not like it, but a few weeks later, brands like Zara and H&M take aspects from these shows and turn it into something more everyday and conventional.”
One such designer he looks up to is Belgian Dries Van Noten: “He works with fabrics from all around the world, chooses them, and matches them, not unlike how chefs work with spices and ingredients.” Millaman explains how this versatility is important, picking complementary ingredients based on expertise.
Looking at his desserts, it is clear that Millaman possesses a unique flair for design and an innate creative streak. So, it is not a surprise when Lau Jia Sen, one of Juno’s investors, reveals that the three captivating canvases adorning the wall above our table are the artistic creations of Millaman himself.
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However, Millaman did not start his career in pastry or even art but rather in law. After law school, he started working with Gustavo Sáez at 99 Restaurante in Chile, where he was awarded the Best Pastry Chef in Latin America by 50 Best Restaurants in 2016. “I met [Sáez], who was so influential and taught me everything, and I realised I had a talent for pastry,” he says. Sáez recognised Millaman’s potential, connecting him with his contacts across the world, including Nicolás Lopez and Sergio Meza.
Meza and Millaman would later work together at Kuala Lumpur’s Mano, but at the time, the trio opened Villanos en Bermuda in Colombia and, in a year, were listed in the 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America.
Even though the restaurant was beyond successful, they felt they wanted a change after two years. Millaman was doing month-long pop-ups across South America when the pandemic struck. During this time, his previous mentor, Sáez, contacted him with the news that the candidate representing Chile in the World Pastry Cup 2021 was unable to attend. “The competition was in five months, and he told me if I turned it down, there was no one else qualified to represent Chile in the same capacity,” he recalls.
While competitions were not something he was keen to dabble in, he accepted the offer to compete and took home sixth place (previous to this, the highest Chile had ranked was sixteenth place). “I did not present the most technical dessert, but we did something different and put on a performance, using smoke and dimming the lights, changing up the more serious nature of the competition.”
After this, Millaman worked at Mey Bistro in Antwerp, Belgium, then cooked for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix before he got in contact with Meza, who was planning to move to Malaysia as part of the opening team of Mano and eagerly asked Millaman to join him.
Currently having worked in two restaurants across Malaysia, as well as a pop-up at Akar Dining, Millaman is satisfied with his achievements in the country. “When I first came here, I was told to cook to suit the local market, but that was not something I wanted to do, as I felt my desserts would lose their soul,” he says. “I bring my personality to everything I make, and while it might not be what everyone is looking for, it gives diners a new perspective and hopefully something new to believe in.”
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Katelyn is the dining and travel editor of Malaysia and Indonesia. Based in Kuala Lumpur, she offers readers an inside look at the movers and shakers in Asia’s growing food and beverage industry.
