Originally from Singapore, Mariah Grace grew up in Myanmar and New Zealand. She began baking at eight years old, making cupcakes and cookies and helping her mother in the kitchen. As she grew into her teens, Grace explored more complex recipes such as macarons.
“I loved the balance of precision and scientific nature of baking, yet the freedom of creativity and innovation in the flavours and design elements.”
Grace decided to pursue a career in culinary arts, and studied a Diploma of Baking and Culinary Science while in Singapore. During her study, she worked part-time at a patisserie alongside interning at a French restaurant. These experiences solidified her focus towards Pastry Arts.
To further her studies, Grace came to New Zealand and obtained a degree in Culinary Arts and Business. She worked across hotels and restaurants in Wellington to gain experience but still had a desire to upskill. She enrolled in a pastry course with KICA (Kiev International Culinary Academy), flying to Ukraine for an intensive three-week course learning about petit gateau, croissants and chocolate work.
Mariah and Andrew Grace
It was the croissants she made here that blew away her husband, Andrew Grace, who encouraged her to share these new skills with Wellington. Ten months later, Grace Patisserie was open.
Located on Tory Street, Grace Patisserie combines Asian flavours with French patisserie techniques. A small production patisserie helmed by a dedicated, tight-knit team, Grace Patisserie aims to deliver high quality products made with the freshest local produce and finest international ingredients. Grace also creates bespoke cakes for special occasions like birthdays, weddings and baby showers.
Grace Patisserie’s special product is their Kouign-Amann - a “highly addictive” sweet Breton cake, made with laminated dough. Their most popular product, and one of Grace’s favourites to make, are her Almond Croissants.
Starting with a good plain croissant, Grace dips the pastry in a sugar syrup, fills with an Almond Cream (frangipane style, rather than marzipan) and tops with flaked almonds and a dusting of icing sugar. Crisp on the outside with a fluffy filling, customers are known to call ahead and reserve their almond croissant treat of the day.
Grace Patisserie’s unique offerings come in the form of their macarons and petit gateau. Flavours change with the seasons and include asian flavour combinations such as Rose and Lychee, Thai Milk Tea Caramel, and Black Sesame Lemon. Her approach to baking is thinking about flavours, balance, texture, and design and Grace has recently seen more and more Asian flavours coming into the baking scene.
Grace enjoys allowing her customers to eat with their eyes first, creating something that tastes as good as it looks. The most rewarding aspect of the job for her is the opportunity to be a part of someone's special celebration. She works to build lasting relationships with her customers, being there throughout different stages of life - making cakes for weddings and going on to create cakes for baby showers, gender reveals and first birthdays.
As executive pastry chef at her business, Grace knows the 24/7 grind but loves what she does. In the future, Grace would like to host pastry workshops and classes both online and hands-on, in person.
Having come a long way from her first bakes, practice has gotten her to the success she enjoys at Grace Patisserie and is how she creates such magnificent pastry products.
“We tend to say practice makes perfect - I have come to learn that practice makes progress."
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