Po's Atelier bakery and café, Hong Kong

new bakery in Hong Kong
Po’s Atelier, a new bakery in Hong Kong, is located on a tiny lane in the city’s Sheung Wan neighbourhood
(Image credit: press)

At Wallpaper* we expect as much from our daily bread as we do from architecture, fashion or art. So when we discovered newly opened Po’s Atelier on a tiny lane in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan neighbourhood, we asked the founders, art director Vincent Cheng and photographer Jonathan Leijonhufvud, to create a special Wallpaper* bread.

The duo met while studying photography in London and were inspired to open the bakery and café, which has minimalist interiors and bespoke blonde-wood counters, after visiting some of Japan’s boutique bakeries. They partnered with renowned Japanese master baker Masami Asano to create their distinctive range of French-Japanese artisan breads, all baked from scratch on site.

The recipe

Ingredients

100g unbleached flour (preferably Decollogne Bio One Territoire T65 or Nisshin Seifun)
2g salt
2g dry yeast
0.5g sugar
70g water
1 whole tomato or 12 cherry tomatoes
Handful of fresh herbs (such as basil)

Steps
Mix flour, salt, yeast, sugar and water in mixer on low speed for 8 minutes
Change to high speed for 5 minutes
1st fermentation: let dough rest at room temperature (24-25°C) for 45 minutes
Knead and press the dough to allow the gas bubbles to escape, then shape into a flat disc
2nd fermentation: still at room temperature for an additional 30 minutes
Preheat the oven to 185°C
Divide the dough into 80g wedges, flatten to desired shape, and press thinly sliced pieces of tomato onto the surface
Place on tray and bake in the oven for 15 minutes
Check for an even, golden-brown colour
Sprinkle with fresh herbs to taste and bon appétit!

special Wallpaper* bread

We asked the founders, art director Vincent Cheng to create a special Wallpaper* bread, pictured here

(Image credit: Jonathan Leijonhufvud)

contemporary frontage

The contemporary frontage of Po's Atelier

(Image credit: press)

bakery boasts minimalist interiors

Inside, the bakery boasts minimalist interiors...

(Image credit: press)

blonde-wood counters

... and bespoke blonde-wood counters

(Image credit: press)

Japan’s boutique bakeries

Founders Cheng and Leijonhufvud were inspired by the interiors of some of Japan’s boutique bakeries

(Image credit: press)

French-Japanese artisan breads

The duo have partnered with renowned Japanese master baker Masami Asano to create their distinctive range of French-Japanese artisan breads

(Image credit: press)

baked from scratch on site

(Image credit: press)

French-Japanese artisan breads at Po's Atelier

One of the French-Japanese artisan breads at Po's Atelier

(Image credit: press)

artisan breads at Po's Atelier

One of the French-Japanese artisan breads at Po's Atelier

(Image credit: press)

breads at Po's Atelier

One of the French-Japanese artisan breads at Po's Atelier

(Image credit: press)

The simple and stylish packaging

The simple and stylish packaging for Po's Atelier is in keeping with the bakery's aesthetic

(Image credit: press)

Catherine Shaw is a writer, editor and consultant specialising in architecture and design. She has written and contributed to over ten books, including award-winning monographs on art collector and designer Alan Chan, and on architect William Lim's Asian design philosophy. She has also authored books on architect André Fu, on Turkish interior designer Zeynep Fadıllıoğlu, and on Beijing-based OPEN Architecture's most significant cultural projects across China.