Louis Vuitton's chocolate store in Singapore is now open, chocolates start from $30

[The_King]

Perhaps not all of us can say we're the proud owners of Louis Vuitton's leather goods and accessories, but here's the next best thing – Louis Vuitton branded chocolates. Adding on to the list of high-end fashion labels in Singapore with F&B offshoots  – including the likes of Coach and Ralph Lauren – comes Le Chocolat Maxime Frédéric at Louis Vuitton, a dedicated chocolaterie under the luxury brand which made its Asian debut on February 7, 2024. This chocolate atelier is the first of its kind outside of France, making it a highly exclusive experience.

Where is the Louis Vuitton chocolate store in Singapore?

Photograph: Daniel Iskandar

Le Chocolat Maxime Frédéric at Louis Vuitton is located within Marina Bay Sands’ Louis Vuitton Island Maison boutique at B1. You can either enter the chocolate shop directly from its B1 entrance, or via a staircase leading up from level B2 of the LV boutique.

 

 

Is Le Chocolat Maxime Frédéric at Louis Vuitton Singapore a sit-down café?

Unfortunately, no. While France's rendition of Maxime Frédéric at Louis Vuitton has seats where you can while your time away while savouring plated chocolate-based cakes, pastries, and coffee, Singapore's version is purely a takeaway store for now, but you'll be glad to know that it's a permanent outlet rather than a limited-time pop-up.

That said, according to a spokesperson who chatted with us, the brand certainly wouldn't rule out opening a seated LV café in Singapore in the future – which means there might very well be more to look forward to in time to come.

Who is Maxime Frédéric and why are his chocolates so special?

Photograph: Daniel Iskandar

 Hailing from Normandy, France, Maxime Frédéric is an award-winning pastry chef whose family has a history in farming. And because of this background of his, he pays extra close attention to ingredients used in his sweet treats, sourcing them from all over the world based on quality and means of production. Each morsel he dreams up is crafted with the utmost care. Case in point? He only uses hazelnuts grown from his own farm in France, and instead of having them crushed by a machine – which is clearly the faster and more convenient option – he does it using a hundred-year-old mill which takes longer but allows for better precision. Another example: milk from cows can taste different depending on the season, and Maxime painstakingly tweaks his recipes to account for that to ensure that flavours are kept consistent throughout the year. These are just some of the many ways in which he's particular about the finer details, thus ensuring an unparalleled level of taste and quality. 

Other than being the culinary talent behind Louis Vuitton's chocolates, he's also the pastry chef of Cheval Blanc Paris, a luxury hotel in France parked along the idyllic Seine river.

How much do Louis Vuitton chocolates cost in Singapore?

Photograph: Daniel Iskandar

Surprisingly, the prices at Le Chocolat Maxime Frédéric at Louis Vuitton in Singapore aren't as steep as one might expect; The artisanal chocolates here start from $30, not for a single piece of chocolate but rather a square slab of nine. Our unanimous favourite is the non-conched milk chocolate damier tablet 40 percent from Madagascar. Despite being milk chocolate, it's not overly treacly, and comes with added crunch and flavour from salt crystals within. Of course, there are dark chocolate alternatives made using cocoa from other places such as the Dominican Republic and São Tomé in Africa. The coated hazelnut bon bons ($44 per box) are an easy pick both for gifting and self-enjoyment, as are the chocolate bars ($30 per bar of five) bearing LV's iconic monogram patterns.

Photograph: Daniel Iskandar

 Most impressive are the larger chocolate creations fashioned after the likes of Petula ($230) and Vivienne ($420), the brand’s whimsical mascots. Each one takes two to three days to make, as it's air-dried instead of machine-dried to preserve taste and quality, and comes fully filled with more chocolatey surprises within. And in line with the whole sense of playfulness that these characters represent, the Vivienne version actually pirouettes when you wind the handle of the chocolate trunk she's standing on. Yes, you read that right – this edible piece of art is moveable. Both the Petula and Vivienne chocolates are highly popular and made in limited quantities each time, so be prepared to get on a waiting list as they get swiped off the shelves pretty quickly.

Photograph: Daniel Iskandar

There's also a decadent chocolate spread by the bottle ($50), inspired by Maxime's fond memories of childhood breakfasts with his grandma. Use it for just about anything you please, be it baking, in milk, or even in your coffee. Maxime himself likes to combine it with salty butter, which he admits is pretty unorthodox, but the beauty in this spread is that it's really for anyone and everyone to enjoy as they so desire, sans rules.

Aside from these mainstays, look out for seasonal themed items leading up to special occasions like Valentine's Day and Christmas.

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[XianGe]

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