Orly’s Patisserie to hold soft opening

LIHU‘E — Veronica Lovesy of the Kuku‘iula Development Company said the opening of Orly’s Patisserie in the Hokulei Shopping Village is “long awaited.”

Orly Yadao, owner of Orly’s Patisserie, announced the soft opening of the shop, Tuesday, Sept. 1 starting at 6:30 a.m. next to the Aloha ‘Aina Juice Cafe.

Once open, the shop will be open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“I can’t believe he’s finally opening,” said Stacie Chiba-Miguel, The Shops at Kuku‘iula general manager. “Yes, he’s super close!”

He and the group of bakers, including Chef Dave Boucher, Julie Marques, Nida Ponting, and Susie Gruenhagen, gathered to work on sample boxes, the working project also serving as a platform for social media pictures.

“We have a good crew to start,” Yadao said. “Between us, there is more than 100 years of experience. We will do our best.”

Yadao comes with a credible billing after winning on several appearance on the Food Network television shows, including The Sugar Dome, Halloween Wars, Season 8, and Cookie Wars where he served as the sugar artist.

Yadao arrived in Hawai‘i from the Philippines, and as a young man, knew that in order to succeed in the new country, he needed to learn and communicate English, properly. He enrolled at the community college and studied Sales and Marketing.

His first hotel job was at the Westin hotel as a dishwasher and later was offered a pastry cook position. He joined the Hyatt Regency when it opened in 1990, and later the Marriott hotel when it opened in 1995.

During these early days of baking, Yadao was not sure if this was something he would like to do for a lifetime career. His fire was lit after he witnessed how a chocolate and sugar could be turned into beautiful showpieces.

This triggered him to take numerous pastry classes, including the master class by world-renowned pastry Chef Ewald Notter, and had the opportunity to be mentored by the late Stanton Ho.

The desire to learn and become the best he could be, moved Yadao to Las Vegas where he got to work and learn from some renown pastry chefs in some of the prestigious hotels including the Bellagio, the MGM Grand, Paris Hotel, Luxor, Hyatt Lake Las Vegas, and Rio Harrah’s hotel.

“I brought him home from Las Vegas,” then executive chef at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Chef Boucher said. Yadao became the executive pastry chef after returning in 2004.

After 11 years, and 19 years of service with the Hyatt, Yadao decided to resign and take a position as a sous chef/Pastry Chef in an exclusive club. Two years into that position, Yadao convinced himself that running a shop will give him more opportunity to express his love and passion for pastry, and the art that comes with it.

He wants to give back and make a difference in the community, share his passion, and to also mentor the younger generation who aspire to get into pastry.