Jeanette Aw “Really Moved” By Singaporeans Who Specially Showed Up To Support Her Chocolate Pop-Up Booths In Japan

Local actress and pastry-making entrepreneur Jeanette Aw is taking Japan’s baking industry by storm.

Since kickstarting the 28-day Amour du Chocolat Fair in Nagoya last Tuesday (Jan 16), the 44-year-old Le Cordon Bleu-trained baker has had massive success, selling out daily in her patisserie brand Once Upon a Time's Tokyo and Osaka pop-up shops as well.

Considering the Once Upon A Time website crashed within minutes of its launch back in 2021, we can’t say we are too surprised by the turnout in Japan.

Jeanette is, however, not taking any of her success for granted.

She shares with 8days.sg via WhatsApp that the massive turnout and positive response got her emotional.

"Nagoya was my first stop, it’s also the biggest chocolate fair in the whole of Japan," says Jeanette. "I really didn’t know what to expect, or how the response would be. So when the customers came, a queue formed and when my brownies and chocolate bonbons sold out, it made me feel really emotional."

"I’ve been working on this for two years, so it’s been a really intense two years up to that point in time," she adds.

For the month-long event, Jeanette has readied chocolate bon bons, her famous What The Fudge Brownies, and a special Japan-only orange flavour brownie.

The crowds who swiped clean her pastries, Jeanette emphasises, weren't just the local Japanese.

"I think what really moved me was seeing so many other Singaporeans who were probably working in Japan, or traveling in Japan, and they all made their way down to support me, buying the brownies and chocolate bonbons."

She also had support from her Japanese friends. 

"My friends from Japan also came down. Even friends from Takasaki who took the early Shinkansen to Tokyo, so they would be able to buy What The Fudge Brownies before they sold out," she shares. A drive from Takasaki to Tokyo usually takes about two hours, while a bullet train ride is about 45mins.

Of course, a little star power never hurt either.

Qi Yuwu and Joanne Peh, who were in Japan to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary, were also seen on Instagram dropping by her Tokyo pop-up on Sunday (Jan 21)

Jeanette says Yuwu texted her before dropping by. Sadly, they didn’t get to buy her famous What The Fudge Brownies as they were sold out by then and instead were left with a box of chocolate bon bons.

In one of the photos shared by Jeanette, we see her standing next to renowned Japanese pastry chefs for a photo op.

When we ask Jeanette how she felt at that moment, to be considered an equal to some of the biggest pastry chefs in Japan, she says, "It’s just such an honour to be there with them."

"One of the chefs tried my brownies too and said it’s good. They’re all very nice. Some other chefs came by my booth and chatted with me."

She continues: "They’ve been very nice and welcoming. There was another young chef who came up to me to tell me not to be nervous, as she also launched [her brand] last year and understood how I felt."

"They were very warm and encouraging to me so I felt very at ease with them."

Photos: jeanetteaw/Instagram, qiyuwu/Instagram

Catch Jeanette Aw in Come Closer on mewatch or in the video below: