LA ROSE NOIRE AND THE MAN BEHIND IT
In 1991, Gérard Dubois opened the first La Rose Noire Pâtisserie in the most prestigious shopping mall on Hong Kong Island. In over 2 decades, that one simple operation, a 30 seats restaurant and cake shop, supported by its own in house production, has turned into a successful enterprise, an achievement beyond his wildest expectation. Quarter of a century later, La Rose Noire is still producing around the clock at its original factory in Kowloon Bay, and from a selection of merely 28 items on day one, it has now over 800 varieties in its product brochure, fulfilling the needs of all sectors primarily in the wholesale market.

While the Hong Kong factory caters for its local market, Gérard and the team took a giant leap in 2004 to build a HACCP/ISO-certified state-of-the-art factory in Dongguan, South China with over 600 employees initially, in order to meet the increasingly popular demands outside of Hong Kong. Dongguan is now producing exclusively for the Greater China, as the responsibility for the overseas market has been shifted to its younger twin, the company’s 3rd production site, a HACCP and FSSC 22000 standard factory in Clark Free Port, The Philippines since 2012. In the same year, the company also re-entered the retail world with its latest venture “Passion. by Gérard Dubois” Boulangerie - Pâtisserie – Confiserie. By 2015, there are 5 locations in Hong Kong where this well loved café can be found. Macau and Manila will both be welcoming their first ones in 2016. Tagging along is the “Passion Atélier”, a workshop uniquely devoted to the creation of innovative items for this exquisite brand.

Nowadays, La Rose Noire is a strong team of 1600 employees from all over the world, most of them are dedicating their good work in the 3 factories, manufacturing for over 40 countries across 5 continents.

The company is well aware that support and recognition of the customers, the collaborators and the local communities are some of the key factors to its success today. Giving back to the society by sharing with the needy is one of the company’s core values, which has been constantly emphasized and practiced, be it in food or in monetary term. La Rose Noire is determined to be more hands on and set up its own “La Rose Noire Foundation” in The Philippine, offering free systematic bakery training, with the goal to provide a stepping-stone for local youngster with interest to becoming a professional in the field.

Gérard is not unfamiliar to culinary publications. He is the co-author of “The Cutting Edge: Innovation of East-West Cuisine of the Twenty First Century” (1993); and the author of “My Recent Journey” (2003), “Passion.” (2006), which gained a special “Award of the Jury 2006” honored by World Cookbook Awards, and “Crafted Passion” (2011), awarded for "Best Dessert Book in the World " by the 17th GOURMAND AWARDS in Paris in 2012. In the Fall of 2016, Gérard will unveil his latest book, commemorating La Rose Noire’s 25th anniversary.

Over the course of his career, Gérard has won numerous awards at some of the most esteemed culinary competitions worldwide and is a regular panel judge at renowned international competitions.

In recognition of his successful entrepreneurship and contribution to the development of Entrepreneurs, the European University, Switzerland, awarded an Honorary Doctorate to Gérard in 2013.

He and his wife Janita are blessed with two delightful young adult kids, Caroline and Dominic.