Cover Sōfte is a new dessert bar in Ilham Tower (Photo: Daniel Adams)
Sōfte is a new dessert bar in Ilham Tower (Photo: Daniel Adams)
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We speak to pastry chef Elwyn Boyles about how his illustrious career led him to Malaysia, why soft serve was chosen as a creative medium
“When you ask someone to consider their favourite dessert, they might say chocolate fondant or cheesecake, but their real answer is ice cream,” quips the soft-spoken pastry chef. I sit across from Elwyn Boyles at a circular table at Sōfte, located on the ground floor of Ilham Tower. To say the interior is eccentric is an understatement—futuristic neon lights flash on panels reflecting ice cream flavours. At the same time, movie posters on the dessert bar walls depict Godzilla in a tussle with King Kong, a pink-robed bull in a meditative pose, and a neon orange egg floating in outer space.
While his statement is undoubtedly bold, he is not wrong—the accessible dessert is often taken for granted, an expected accompaniment to tarts, brownies, and cakes. And what other sweet offers so many iterations in terms of flavours while lingering at the centre of so many nostalgic memories?
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Above Corn Double Down, this writer's favourite flavour, combines matcha soft serve with popcorn ripple, cornbread, and popcorn power
Above Sōfte opened its doors to the public this year in February
Corn Double Down, this writer's favourite flavour, combines matcha soft serve with popcorn ripple, cornbread, and popcorn power
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Boyles offers up his own experience: “Growing up, sweets were a rare treat, so I would always look forward to going to the ice cream van for a 99 Flake once a month—I’ve always loved its light, foamy texture.” Sōfte’s offerings, however, are not your typical soft serve. “They are a combination of American diner sundaes and modern plated desserts,” he smiles.
While originally from Wales and has spent the majority of his formative years in the UK, Boyles is best known for the 14 years he spent leading the pastry team and expanding Thomas Keller’s repertoire of restaurants across California and New York, most notably The French Laundry and Per Se. He also spent time in Tokyo’s Sézanne to develop its pastry programme, working alongside head chef Daniel Calvert, whom he first met at Per Se.
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Above Pastry chef Elwyn Boyles runs the show at Sōfte
Above Mint ice cream
Pastry chef Elwyn Boyles runs the show at Sōfte
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Boyles was on the hunt for a new project when he stumbled upon the opportunity to develop a new dessert bar concept in Malaysia. “I was looking for something that would help expand me as a person, and this interested me, both in terms of the country and the challenge,” he explains. “The culinary scene here is just starting to kick off, and it is an exciting landscape.”
He walked me through the process of how he designed the menu. “I am not Malaysian, and am not going to pretend to cook local food as I don’t have the experience or history,” he says. Instead, Boyles takes inspiration from local ingredients, treating them with his own knowledge.
Above Everything Rice
Above Everything Rice
Everything Rice
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For instance, the Everything Rice features toasted rice ice cream, miso caramel, coconut mochi, and puffed black rice. “Rice is a staple in Malaysian cooking, so I took what I know about rice to create something rooted in the love for the ingredient,” he enthuses.
Above Salted Egg
Above Salted Egg
Salted Egg
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The Salted Egg, which sees custard ice cream, liquid caramel, puffed black rice, and egg yolk shavings, showcases his expertise similarly. “I didn’t grow up eating salted egg, but preserving eggs in salt is a culinary technique I have used for years,” he says. “Here, we use more yolk in the ice cream, so it is eggier and richer, and finish it with shaved salted egg.”
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Another flavour, the Pink Cow, combines guava sorbet with whipped milk and dragon fruit purée and happens to be Boyles’ favourite. “I love the contrast of sharp and fruity with dairy, much like a creamsicle,” he chuckles. While swirling the guava sorbet in my mouth, I realize that the posters on the walls depict a respective ice cream flavour—in this case, the pink-robed bull sitting cross-legged.
Above Pink Cow
Above Pink Cow
Pink Cow
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With such an illustrious career, Boyles could be anywhere on the globe, but he hopes that during his time in Kuala Lumpur, he can help young cooks. The hospitality industry is expanding at an unprecedented rate, with an influx of restaurants and guests demanding more, but with fewer people teaching new chefs.
“The profession is slowly dying—the trend now is to buy ready-made glaze, ice cream premix, and completed purées instead of making things from scratch, and I hope to be able to impact enough young cooks and equip them with knowledge and skill.”
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Photography: Daniel Adams
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About
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.
