Art Meets Taste: Natalia Ilina on BonGenie’s Masterpieces
Art Meets Taste: Natalia Ilina on BonGenie’s Masterpieces
In a cozy patisserie, I had the pleasure of meeting Natalia Ilina, the director of the BonGenie dessert gallery, who shared insights into the company’s confectionery masterpieces, business ideas, and unique orders.
COLOR: Guessing the Taste
Natalia’s professional journey began in the distribution business. She worked for nearly a decade in a large distribution company, serving as the deputy director of marketing.
In 2015, the BonGenie brand was established. Over the course of a year, they developed the brand’s philosophy and conducted market research and consulting. The initial slogan of BonGenie was “BonGenie – masterpieces from masters of the confectionery art.” Over time, they updated it to a more modern concept: “dessert gallery.” Each BonGenie creation is a small art object, handcrafted to delight the senses with its taste, color, and aroma.
The company aims to evoke associations with gifts, pleasure, and mood. From beautifully designed boxes to unique handmade desserts, BonGenie strives to create an unforgettable experience.
The Business Idea Behind BonGenie’s Dessert Gallery
Starting a business without financial resources is possible but can be a lengthy process. For BonGenie, significant investments were made to perfect the confectionery production and sustain the business during initial losses. A strong business idea and a team that believes in it are crucial. Even with investments, there are risks of failure.
Over two years, BonGenie introduced numerous innovations, including chocolates, handmade chocolate candies, premium eclairs, and Confetti – almonds in chocolate. The naming process for Confetti involved social media engagement, resulting in nearly 900 comments and a memorable product name.
Some products are manufactured in Italy and Ukraine. Natalia draws inspiration from international exhibitions and brands like Ferrero and Starbucks, which excel in adapting their packaging for holidays and introducing new product lines.
Expensive Pleasure
BonGenie hires confectioners with and without experience, valuing their work ethic and willingness to learn. They invite European confectioners, such as Valentina Stefanio, Bruno Cure, Arno Gautier, and Simona Fomina, to share their expertise. Once, Patrick Cazula, a world champion in confectionery art, visited and inspired their work with chocolate.
Quality chocolate is made from cocoa beans, with a smooth, glossy surface that melts in the mouth, not in the hands, and has a characteristic snap when broken. Ukrainian, Russian, and European partners recommend chefs to invite. BonGenie covers travel, accommodation, and meal expenses, with European chefs’ fees around 1500 euros per day. The shortest visit was three days, while others lasted several weeks with a daily rate of about 300 euros.
Chefs from Australia, the UAE, and England are admired for adapting classic recipes to new trends and playing with flavors. BonGenie also follows innovations from Ladurée, Pierre Hermé, and Christopher Adam.
Sweet Tops
BonGenie produces macarons on a large scale, accounting for 50% of their turnover with 35 flavors. The classic “Napoleon” is also popular, developed over eight months with the help of confectioners from Kiev and St. Petersburg.
#Boncake
Creating names for their products involves finding beautiful words and translations. For instance, a cinnamon and cream cheese bun, similar to Cinnabon, was named Boncake. The name was conceived during a flight to Germany, and despite initial confusion, it has become a memorable part of their brand.
Astoria in Chocolate
In spring, BonGenie was commissioned to create a chocolate cake replica of the Astoria Riverside entertainment complex. This challenging order involved translating architectural drawings into confectionery proportions, studying the building, and creating a 60-kilogram cake with precise details, including windows, a winter garden with lighting, and accurate colors. The experience was immense, and the cake was praised for its remarkable resemblance to the building.
Another memorable order involved producing 15,000 cookies. The team worked tirelessly over a weekend, with families helping to package the cookies. This order remains a significant milestone for the BonGenie team.
