With Rich's on the other side of the world

Secrets of a Grand Master Decorator

In millennia-old Asia, Mr. Tan has created a new concept of pastry that is revolutionizing markets from Beijing in China to Sydney, Australia.

The ancient cultures of Asia have combined their traditions of delicate cuisine with the most innovative trends from the Western food industry, to create a new concept of pastry. Sophisticated cake decorations with smooth, fresh flavors are genuine works of art in the world of pastry.

Alex Tan See Fong is one of the principal creators of this new concept. Mr. Tan, as he is affectionately known in 8 Asian countries where he is recognized as a Grand Master Decorator, is a partner in Rich's technical program on the other side of the world. Rich Products has had the honor of working with Mr. Tan in seminars offered to customers in China, Australia, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Malasia, his native country. A winner of recognized international contests, Mr. Tan possesses excellent decoration skills that combine technique with creativity. Below, we share with you a few of these small masterworks of Asian pastry.

Chinese Wedding Cake
Wedding cakes are one of the new customs that have arrived with the greater openness to the West. In this heart-shaped cake, Mr. Tan uses images of a dragon, symbolizing masculinity, and a phoenix, which symbolizes femininity, to represent bride and groom. In Chinese painting, showing these two images together symbolizes good fortune, happiness and a life free of sadness and worries. The Chinese "Xi" character on the topping signifies "double happiness", a common symbol of marriage.

Birthday Cakes to Celebrate Life
Until 10 years ago it was not common to have birthday cake in China. Today, however, it is a very important rite in the celebration of any birthday, from the traditional cake for the first month of life (decorated in the picture with the image of a baby) to the celebration of more than half a century of existence. A cake in the form of a peach, as can be seen in the graphic, is absolutely mandatory at birthday parties for those over 50. In China, there is a centuries-old belief that eating peaches guarantees long life, and this cake takes its inspiration from that tradition. The little candle represents "Shou Xing Gong", the old man of the legend who promises long life to mortals. Its an idea that delicately combines tradition with the modern concept of the birthday cake.