Seocho cake shop, the backup cake when Mango Rose sells out: Chef Cho

I went to Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam to browse some sweet desserts. There were so many gorgeous, delicious-looking ones 😭 The place that stopped me in my tracks was Chef Cho (쉐프조, CHEF CHO)! Customers were lining up in front of the shop to buy cakes. What I picked was the Apple Mango Strawberry Flower No. 1, with fresh fruit piled on like a bouquet!♡

Where is Chef Cho Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam?

Chef Cho Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam is on B1 of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam, 176 Sinbanpo-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It's right at the entrance of Sweet Park, the dessert section on the basement floor, so it's easy to spot.

What kind of cakes does Chef Cho make?

Chef Cho is run by a chef who is a Korean Master Baker (제과기능장), and they say the cakes are made from long experience to bring out the natural flavor of the ingredients. Here's what the shop highlights.

• 100% animal-based fresh cream
• Fresh fruit delivered every day
• Fresh cream with no hydrogenated oils or (vegetable) fats at all
• The skill of a Korean Master Baker
• 23 years of baking know-how

There was also a sign saying "Four Kings of Cakes on Life of Mastery (생활의 달인)," and I thought, no wonder this place has a reputation as a great cake shop.

What cakes does Chef Cho sell, and how much are they?

There were plenty of people waiting in line when I visited, and the popular Mango Rose No. 1 was already sold out. Keep that in mind if you're after the popular one.

🍓 Here's the Chef Cho cake menu.

• Apple Mango Strawberry Flower Cake: Mini ₩39,800 / No. 1 ₩54,000
• Mango Rose Cake: Mini ₩39,800 / No. 1 ₩56,000
• Cacao 52% Chocolate Strawberry: Mini ₩41,000 / No. 1 ₩56,000
• Pistachio Forest: Mini ₩43,000 / No. 1 ₩58,000
• Autumn Forest Marron Cake: Mini ₩39,800
• 🍂 October 2026 seasonal dessert, Mont Blanc tart: ₩12,800

How does the Apple Mango Strawberry Flower No. 1 taste?

And now, the star of the day! Chef Cho's Apple Mango Strawberry Flower No. 1. Just from the name it sounds like a fruit party❣️

In person, the apple mango and strawberries were piled on so generously that it looked really bright and pretty. 🍓🥭 It wasn't just a few pieces of fruit placed on top as decoration; it was covered with no gaps at all. At this point I couldn't tell if I was eating a cake or eating fruit, haha 🤣

The fruit wasn't only on the outside; it was tucked into the sponge layers too.

The mango was sweet, and the October strawberries were tart

What I liked most about the Apple Mango Strawberry Flower was, of course, the mango. Maybe because it's fresh mango, it kept that fresh fruit taste and had the sweet flavor of a well-ripened mango.

The strawberries weren't very sweet, probably because it isn't really the season for them to turn sweet yet. They had a sweet-tart taste, which actually went well with the sweet mango. But if you're expecting super sweet strawberries, they may differ from in-season ones, so I'll be honest and mention that here!🍓

Is Chef Cho's cake worth recommending?

I was bummed that the Mango Rose Cake No. 1 was sold out, but the Apple Mango Strawberry Flower No. 1 I chose instead was delicious too. Above all, the mango was really good, and I loved how the cake looked with all that fresh fruit piled on. If you love fresh fruit or want a bright cake for a special day, I recommend Chef Cho's cakes. 🍓🥭🍓🥭