DESIGNING clothes, not pastries, was what Daniel Tay had in mind when growing up. After his O levels, he did fashion design at Lasalle College of the Arts. While he had an eye for design, his sewing skills didn't pass muster.

So his father, who used to run Seng Choong Confectionery, a household name in Marine Parade, suggested that he attend a six-week intensive baking course at the UFM International Baking Institute in Bangkok, Thailand.

He agreed to the trip, anticipating six weeks of play, but instead uncovered a talent and interest in baking.

Today, Tay, 37, is the chief executive officer of Bakerzin, a homegrown restaurant-cum-patisserie chain.

'Until my stint in Thailand, I had the impression that baking was an unglamorous job. But I soon found out that it's a sophisticated marriage of the arts and science,' he says.

He started Bakerzin in a small shop in a Sembawang condominium in 1998 and it has since grown to six outlets here and another 12 in Malaysia, Indonesia, China and the United States.

While he will be closing his only US outlet in Arizona at the end of this month due to mismanagement by the franchisee, he plans to go into the US market again in the long term.

For now though, the father of two boys aged seven and three has his hands full with seven stores opening next year - four here, two in Shanghai, China, and one in Bali, Indonesia.

How often do you bake now that you are a CEO?

I bake at the test kitchen in my factory in Harper Road weekly. That's where all the Bakerzin cakes are made and then sent to the outlets. I'm usually there for some four to five hours conducting tastings and experimenting with new recipes for novel items to be introduced at our outlets. Baking is my first love and I wish I could spend more time doing it, but I have to balance my time in the kitchen with the everyday running of the business.

How do preferences for desserts differ from country to country?

Singaporeans like classic flavours such as chocolate and our warm chocolate cake remains a perennial bestseller. Indonesians have similar tastes, but the Malaysians have more adventurous tastebuds. Our cream cheese with green tea cake, for example, was a hit in Malaysia but not locally. In the US, customers go for desserts featuring exotic Asian fruits such as mango and coconut. And in Shanghai, China, customers don't like their desserts too sweet.

With 12 Bakerzin outlets overseas, you must travel a lot for work. Do you miss local food while abroad?

Definitely. The dishes I crave are the sweet, Teochew-style char kway teow (fried broad noodles) from Hong Lim Market, Wee Nam Kee Hainanese chicken rice from 275 Thomson Road, and braised duck rice from Hup Seng Duck Rice at Block 22, Sin Ming Road.

What is your sinful food indulgence?

I really love durians, especially the bitter-sweet Malaysian ones. I have on average two durians weekly, but I share them with my wife and sons.

Part of the pleasure comes from choosing the right durian. I like to hunt for gems among cheap durians in Geylang. It gives me a great sense of satisfaction.

WHAT WOULD YOUR LAST MEAL BE? Eight rolls of my mother's Teochew-style popiah. Her popiah filling comes packed with bamboo shoots, turnip, minced pork, tofu and carrots and it tastes better a day old.

What is your favourite traditional Chinese pastry?

I love tau sar piah (bean paste biscuit), particularly those with a salty green bean filling that has fried shallots in them. I used to get my fix from a bakery opened by my Dad's friend in Eunos, but it closed 10 years ago and I have yet to find another store that sells tau sar piah of the same quality.

You are a pastry chef and Bakerzin is known for its desserts. How sweet a tooth do you have?

I have a really sweet tooth. I must have dessert after every meal. I'm not particular about what I have, as long as it's well prepared. And if I spot a dessert on a restaurant menu that I really like or am curious about, I will have it before my main course. I also have a weakness for doughnuts and I can eat two to three Krispy Kreme plain glazed doughnuts in one sitting.

What food is your restaurant famous for?

We specialise in desserts, and every Christmas we come up with new holiday season offerings. This year, my chefs and I created a macaron log cake called Ispahan Rose, inspired by the rose-scented Ispahan macarons the famous French pastry chef Pierre Herme popularised.

We wanted to offer something other than the usual sponge roll-up log cake, and since macarons are popular now, we decided to make macarons that are about four times the usual size and fill them with rose butter cream, fresh raspberry puree and chopped lychee.

From now till Dec 15, Citibank card members enjoy a 15 per cent discount on Christmas cakes and meat items at Bakerzin. And from Dec 16 to 25, Citibank card members enjoy 10 per cent off Christmas cakes and meat items from the eatery.