Desserts are no longer the encore. They’re the main act—seductive, surprising, and unapologetically bold. High concept dessert menus are flipping the culinary script, turning sugar into storytelling and pastry into pure performance art. At Berlin's Coda, the world’s first Michelin starred dessert restaurant (now with two stars), a jaw dropping 15-course tasting menu rewrites the rules. Indulge in Oscietra caviar on a vanilla artichoke ice cream popsicle.
Over in France, Le Sarkara riffs on comfort and chaos, pairing black truffle with celeriac and citrus pickles. In Singapore’s Janice Wong, the spicy Chilli Padi Bonbons turn heat into poetry. This isn’t dessert as usual. These culinary rebellions are pastry with purpose, crafted to make you rethink everything you know about sweet and savoury.
Room4Dessert, Bali, Indonesia
Terracotta coloured drapes ripple lazily in the gentle jungle breeze, and round windows peek out onto a kitchen garden tangled in sprouting creepers. This is the world of Will Goldfarb, the pastry wizard from Netflix’s Chef’s Table, who turns dessert into a whimsical, high stakes adventure at his jungle hideaway in Ubud.
Room4Dessert is serene yet cheekily inventive, like stepping into a Roald Dahl classic written for foodies. Securing a table here feels as rare and magical as finding Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket! Goldfarb, of El Bulli and Tetsuya’s fame, approaches dessert with mad scientist flair. Savoury bites flirt with the menu upfront, and desserts blur the lines between fantasy and flavour. Picture black tea and cardamom crème brûlée or dishes with eccentric names like Jitterbug Perfume, brimming with jasmine, beet, and melon. Staggered cocktails sit beside each course, unapologetically sweet and seductive. To really dive in, go for the nine course tasting menu. Think New Wave, a divine mix of carrot, pumpkin seed, and marigold; and The Sugar Refinery, a Balinese meringue daydream with soursop and chocolate.
Esperit Roca, Girona, Spain
Stepping in feels like stumbling across a secret culinary utopia perched high on St. Julia Mountain near Girona, where the Roca brothers (of El Celler de Can Roca fame) have traded world domination for mountain magic. Imagine this: a crumbling fortress whispers history on one side, while sleek modern design winks at you on the other.
But enough about the setting, let’s talk about their sugar-coated sorcery—the Sweet Spirit Menu. To start, there's the Boletus Pinicola brioche, which is earthy and buttery. Then comes the Pumpkin with Eel, an unexpected love story between velvety pumpkin and smoky eel, spiced with candied grapefruit. The Chocolate Anarkia, though, steals the show. A revolution on a plate, it has a chili infused intensity with silky ice cream, rich nougat, and airy foams. It’s bold, messy, and glorious! And if that’s not enough, the zesty Orange Chromatism drops the mic with its citrusy note.
Ami Patisserie, Singapore
Chef Makoto Arami is no stranger to culinary artistry. Hailing from Hikone in Japan’s Shiga Prefecture, his lineage is steeped in tradition, with the family crafting wagashi since 1935, before pivoting to yogashi aka Western-style desserts elevated by Japanese ingredients.
Raised with flour in his veins and sugar on his fingertips, Makoto honed his skills at the celebrated Tsuji Culinary Institute in Tokyo before globetrotting through Michelin-starred kitchens like Alain Ducasse Beige in Ginza and Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York. Today, Singapore gets a slice of his brilliance with Ami Patisserie, a sleek café that balances Japanese craft with modern creativity. Here, indulgence comes as a surprise, tucked away in a colonial bungalow that oozes character. While classic choux pastries (made with Hokkaido flour) dazzle, it’s the unexpected desserts like a crisp tomato tartlet atop a Parmesan bed or the mind-bending Nasu Brulee, where eggplant custard meets caramelised sugar and miso ice cream, that steals the show. The Mangetsu egg from Aichi makes a grand entrance. Piped into mini Choux au Craquelin, topped with crème fraîche, Schrenckii caviar, and gold leaf. The six course Chef’s Table Discovery Experience is a front-row ticket to gastronomic theatre, with each course handmade and served with charisma. Makoto’s filo tarts even defy Singapore’s humidity, crunching gloriously under seasonal fruits and vegetables. Here, tradition meets invention and leaves you wondering why dessert ever needed rules.
