Seocho cake shop, strawberry mango Mini gone in 6 minutes: Chef Cho

A friend once gave me a Chef Cho cake for my birthday, and I remember loving it. Not long ago I stopped by Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam, spotted Chef Cho in Sweet Park, and was so happy to see it that I went right in.

I was extra happy that I could still get a cake with strawberries at the end of June. Here comes my honest review!

Where is Chef Cho at Shinsegae Gangnam?

Chef Cho Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam (쉐프조) is inside Sweet Park on the B1 level of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam. If you are looking for a cake in Shinsegae Gangnam, it is easy to get to because it sits right in Sweet Park.

• Location: Sweet Park, B1, Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam, 176 Sinbanpo-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul (come out from the department store toward Sweet Park and turn right and you'll see it. The Chef Cho shop is about as wide as the blog address in the photo.)
• Hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–19:30
• Parking: 1 hour with ₩50,000 or more

Chef Cho is a cake specialist with 20 years of history. It uses 100% dairy fresh cream and fresh fruit for a soft, clean taste, and the fruit is said to be delivered every day.

Chef Cho whole cake types and prices

I visited around noon on a weekday and almost every cake was in stock. They look lovely just to look at..✨

Chef Cho cakes come in 3 sizes: slice, Mini and No. 1 (호). The main line is 3 fruit cakes (strawberry and mango), plus 1 pistachio and 2 chocolate, so 6 kinds in all. For a Shinsegae Gangnam cake shop, the range of sizes and types is wide.

Strawberry and mango fruit cakes: sizes and prices

• Pure Milk Strawberry Dome (Mini) ₩39,000
• Strawberry Mango Cream (Mini) ₩39,000
• Real Mango Flower (Mini) ₩39,000
• Strawberry Flower (No. 1) ₩53,000
• Strawberry Mango Cream (No. 1) ₩53,000
• Real Mango (No. 1) ₩56,000

The cakes displayed on the lower shelf are Mini (serves 2). The ones on top are No. 1 (serves 3–4).

Chocolate and pistachio cakes: sizes and prices

• Cacao 52% Chocolate Whole Strawberry (No. 1) ₩53,000
• Cacao 52% Chocolate Whole Strawberry (Mini) ₩41,000
• Pistachio Forest (No. 1) ₩56,000
• Pistachio Forest (Mini) ₩43,000
• Dark Chocolate Forest (Mini) ₩39,000

It was just my husband and me, so I bought the Strawberry Mango Cream Mini (₩39,000). I usually eat a cake all in one day.. so I picked a size that's easy to finish in one go! I also got a Pistachio Forest slice (₩11,000), which my husband likes.

Chef Cho cake slices: types and prices

Besides Mini and No. 1, Chef Cho also sells cake by the slice: 6 kinds of slices, 1 roll and 1 petit cake.

Prices are below.

• Strawberry Cream ₩9,800
• Matcha Strawberry Chocolate ₩11,000
• Real Mango Cream ₩9,800
• Dark Chocolate Forest ₩9,800

• Pistachio Forest ₩11,000
• Vanilla Crêpe Roll with Fruit ₩13,800
• Petit Jobloba, right next to it ₩12,000

The Jobloba is a tiny fruit cake. I'm not a big cake person, but I think it would be nice when you want to feel a bit festive on a special day.

The Strawberry Mango Cream slice is ₩9,800. If you want to try a variety, buying several slices seems fine too! The slices look great as well. I want to taste every one💘

Chef Cho cake packaging: cooler bag, ice packs, what's included

The Chef Cho cooler bag costs ₩3,000. I had another stop to make, so I added one. Without the cooler bag, the cake is said to stay in good condition for about 1 hour.

The cooler bag fits a Mini cake plus a slice, and holds 3 ice packs. If you buy only slices, they stick an ice pack on the side of the box.

Chef Cho's packaging is pretty too! Candles and a cake knife come as standard.

How did the Chef Cho Strawberry Mango Cream Mini taste?

A gorgeous Strawberry Mango Cream cake! The moment I opened the box, the sweet smell of fruit wafted out and I got excited. Store it in the fridge; shelf life is 2 days refrigerated, so keep that in mind.

It barely moved even when I tilted it, so it should hold steady when you carry it. And look at those fresh strawberries, even at the end of June🍓

Okay, now to get ready to actually eat. I took out the Pistachio Forest slice too.

This is what it looks like with the wrapping band off. The sides are neatly made too, right? What you need now is 2 spoons🥄🥄 No small plates, no knife. Only spoons let you eat it neatly without spills.

But with the band off, the cream texture looked a bit like ricotta cheese.....(?) I wondered, isn't it not soft?? Nope! Being 100% dairy cream, it just melts in your mouth.. and doesn't feel separate from the cake. The sponge is soft and moist. The mango was so sweet that mango plus sponge tasted like a mango cake, and strawberry plus sponge tasted like a strawberry cake.

Eaten together, it's speechlessly happy.. My husband isn't really a cake guy,, but he ate just like me haha. Said it was delicious (a rewarding moment✨)

• 🍓 The strawberries weren't as sweet as in-season ones, but they were firm and sweet-tart, so they tasted good.
• 🥭 The mango was rich and fragrant, like apple mango!

And the cake was gone in 6 minutes.. I was actually planning to eat any leftovers with coffee the next day🙈

Pistachio Forest slice

I even scraped this Pistachio Forest clean too..

Chef Cho's Pistachio Forest has a strong, true pistachio flavor but is moderately thick, so it went well with the sponge, and the cream underneath tasted like a mix of chestnut and chocolate. The cherry flavor isn't strong, which made it easier to eat. The sponge was so soft that I didn't even realize it was there. (A thumbs-up from me)

Is Chef Cho at Shinsegae Gangnam worth recommending?

Yes. I think almost anyone, of any age or gender, would like a Chef Cho cake. The fruit is especially fresh, and I could see why it's such a popular Gangnam cake spot.

• Soft but not soggy sponge
• Delicious fruit delivered daily raises the quality
• 100% dairy fresh cream that melts in your mouth instead of feeling separate
• Cream with a subtle sweetness and a rich, nutty taste

It's the kind of style parents would like too, so I think it works for a birthday or anniversary. The chocolate cream was good as well, so next time I want to try the Dark Chocolate Forest🍫🍃 If you're looking for an anniversary or birthday cake, I recommend Chef Cho as your Shinsegae Gangnam cake.