“My management style today is gleaned from that of my ex-boss in Hong Kong who had a very hands-off approach, no micromanaging but instead giving employees full trust in the projects they’ve been assigned to manage.”

On clinching the role of Ladurée Malaysia director, Bianca is quick to share that she’s ever grateful for the trust and support that her team has afforded her.

“Even at Ladurée, I’m probably one of the youngest members of the management team, but I’m also the captain of this ship, bent on leading my team toward bigger success,” she shares.   

Sweeter Days Ahead

Without hesitation, Bianca counts Paris among her favourite destinations. Having spent considerable time for trainings at Ladurée’s headquarters in Paris, this avid traveller professes a weakness for European food, and a sweet tooth that proves quite useful in her line of work.

“The French Toast here at Ladurée is amazing,” she enthuses. “We have the classic maple syrup and Chantilly french toast, but then we also just launched the fig and date french toast for Ramadan, as well as the Ispahan version.

“We try to change things up every 3 months so that people get to taste something different that Ladurée has to offer.”

French toast and other sweet treats aside, the Ladurée Pavilion tea salon is a sight to behold, a dream backdrop for Instagrammers and café hoppers alike: macaron towers, plush seats, Parisian-inspired interiors decked out in pastel shades, and behind the counter top, the beaming faces of friendly staff complete the picture nicely.

“To me, Ladurée is such a great brand with such amazing products; it would be a shame if more people in Malaysia didn’t know about it, or if they did, to simply associate it with macarons alone.

“My biggest goal right now is for all Malaysians to know of this brand, to want to come to Ladurée the moment they think about macarons or afternoon tea and get to enjoy our savouries and main courses as well.”

See also: 8 Things To Know About The Pretty Delicate Macaron

Pretty In Pink

At present, Bianca’s plans to push out the Ladurée brand in a more prominent way include B2B collaborations which may see the Parisian tea house’s wares finding a home in luxe hotels, product launches and corporate events. 

“Our prices may be on the high end, but Ladurée uses only the top ingredients in crafting our pastries. We have recipes that require French butter or Valrhona chocolates, and we’ll use exactly that – no compromise.

“All our macarons are air-flown in from Paris – we don’t take shortcuts in what we do!”

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Striking a balance

Outside of work, Bianca’s interests lean towards water sports like surfing, diving and wakeboarding – her active hobbies striking a much-needed balance for her love of good food.

“Work never stops. That's the reality. If you push yourself too much, things just won’t turn out as great as you want them to be.

“Let’s face it: everyone needs one or 2 days in a month where they can just shut down, and that’s alright. What’s important to me right now is creating a healthy work culture for my staff and leading by example. You need to get yourself organised before you can lead a team that’s organised. Similarly, if I maintain a healthy lifestyle, my team will be healthy too.”

Must-read: The Ultimate Guide To Afternoon Tea In Kuala Lumpur