Hotel Patisserie ufu, located on a street corner in Nakasu, Fukuoka, offers many people a moment of bliss. Since opening in 2006, it has attracted a wide range of customers, from tourists and local regulars to people working in the nightlife district. Through the stories of Nozawa Kota, who was the manager at the time of the store's opening, and Eguchi Ryoko, the current manager, we unravel the path that has led Hotel Patisserie ufu to take root in the Nakasu area.

A new challenge: a sweets shop in Nakasu

Hotel Patisserie ufu (hereafter referred to as ufu) opened in the heart of Nakasu in 2007. "Ufu" means "egg" in French, and the store is filled with a variety of sweets made with carefully selected eggs. The store's name also embodies the desire to "deliver authentic hotel-made sweets."

As the sweets department of Fukuoka Sunpalace Hotel & Hall was attracting much attention, Nozawa was appointed as the manager at the time of opening. He then took on a wide range of responsibilities, including store design, product development, and staff training, and began exploring how to create a sweets shop that would meet the unique needs of the nightlife district.

"I had experience working in restaurants, but it was my first time opening a sweets shop. At first, I really started from scratch, learning at other sweets shops and conducting market research in Nakasu. It was extremely difficult, but I was really happy when we successfully opened the shop on January 11th of the following year, after starting to build it. Even just before the opening, we did everything we could, such as selling Christmas cakes in the store and distributing flyers to advertise in advance," Nozawa recalls with a smile.

Its unique style, such as serving cakes infused with alcohol and staying open late at night, blends perfectly with the culture of Nakasu. By taking advantage of its location and offering delivery services, ufu has become a beloved establishment for many people.

Changes in the town and evolution of stores

Even after opening, Nozawa faced many challenges, such as a lack of staff and unfamiliar work, and was unable to take many days off. However, he continued to pursue "what can only be done in Nakasu," and gradually established ufu's unique brand. Then, with the change of manager, the business seemed to be going smoothly, but a new challenge arose.

The COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020 brought major changes, including reduced business hours and a drop in sales. Nakasu is a busy nightlife district, so there was a long period of time when customers stayed away due to restrictions on serving alcohol. "No matter what the situation, the teamwork of our staff and our belief in providing products and services that our customers will enjoy were the driving force that allowed us to overcome the difficulties," says current store manager Eguchi. Nakasu was quiet at the time, but now it is seeing an increase in overseas tourists, mainly from Korea, and visitors from the younger generation, and the town as a whole has regained even more vitality than before COVID-19.

Ufu has evolved along with the changing city, and continues to take flexible measures to meet the unique needs of Nakasu, such as improving its delivery service and developing takeout items to meet the demands of tourists.

Authentic hotel-made sweets

The sweets offered by ufu are highly rated by a wide range of customers for their high quality. The cakes, made with carefully selected ingredients that are unique to hotel-made cakes, are of high quality and can be appreciated once you try them.

"We use high-quality Itoshima brand eggs, which are essential for the rich and smooth flavor of our Nakasu Pudding. We also use heavy cream with a 40% fat content. The cake design is also based on the image of Nakasu's signature 'gaiety' and 'cuteness.' We hope you will take a look and taste it to appreciate our commitment to detail."

The chef patissier in charge of sweets at ufu has been training under the previous head pastry chef for over 10 years. Utilizing the experience and skills he has cultivated over many years in the hotel confectionery department, his entremets are highly acclaimed and are a visual treat as well as a taste bud delight.

"In addition to ufu cakes, our confectionery department also creates wedding cakes for hotel receptions, as well as cakes to be served at the hotel's restaurants and cafes. The special whole cake served with the anniversary course at the French restaurant LAPUTA on the top floor of the hotel is particularly popular, and perhaps due to the effectiveness of this cake, we boast a 99% success rate (according to staff surveys) for the four to five marriage proposals we receive each month."

While offering the authentic flavor of hotel sweets, ufu also offers a lineup of cakes that are unique to the hotel. With a wide variety of sweets, including cakes for adults that use alcohol, perfect for the nightlife, and heart-shaped cakes and baked goods that make perfect gifts, you'll never run out of things to choose from, no matter how many times you visit. Seasonal limited menus and custom-made cakes for special events are also popular.

ufu's signature product is the Nakasu Pudding. It's also a popular souvenir, with orders sometimes reaching more than ten for delivery. You can also enjoy sweets with coffee in the relaxed atmosphere of the shop.

Towards a sweets shop that is close to customers

The greatest feature of ufu is its flexibility, being open until late at night and catering to a diverse clientele. "As a hotel patisserie, we hope to not only improve the quality of our cakes, but also to continue to provide new experiences and value, and become a sweets shop that is loved by many people," said Nozawa, reminiscing about the time of its opening.

"ufu is not just a cake shop; we do delivery, are open late at night, and offer dine-in options, so we place great importance on training our staff. We would like to continue working while cherishing the ideas we had when we first opened and our history," says Eguchi.

Hotel Patisserie ufu continues to challenge itself and evolve in Nakasu, bringing smiles to the faces of many people. The sweet moments will be an irreplaceable moment of bliss for all who visit.

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Hotel Patisserie Ufu

電話：092-263-5774 

Address: 1F Nakasu U Building, 3-4-10 Nakasu, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture

Access: 30 seconds walk from HOTEL RESOL TRINITY HAKATA

HP: https://www.patisserie-ufu.com/

Official SNS: https://www.instagram.com/ufu_nakasu/

For details on opening hours and closing days, please check the link above.