How a young chef’s obsession created Hong Kong’s viral Pineapple Bakery
Meet Adele, the perfectionist whose ‘villain-origin’ quiche and late-night partying are fuelling her rise to local fame
This is Adele, the fiercely private founder and co-owner of the viral (and slightly polarising) Pineapple Bakery. Having just turned 20, Adele, who prefers to share only her first name, carries herself with a confidence beyond her years.
“Because my mum’s side of the family is in the food and beverage industry, I had a lot of opportunities growing up.”
When the pandemic struck as she turned 15, Adele found herself with more time outside school and used it to gain hands-on experience in restaurants that had gone quiet. She cleaned fish at an omakase restaurant and amassed a trove of skills from various Chinese establishments. By the time she was 18, she was running private dining gigs.
Adele’s signature take on the classic pineapple bun was first developed as part of a Hong Kong-style afternoon tea set she served her clients. They believed it had real potential and offered to help her bring it to more customers.
“People see me doing pineapple buns these days and think I’m a pastry cook, but my expertise is actually in fish, butchering things and Cantonese cooking,” she says. “Sweet foods make my teeth hurt.”