Gangnam cake shop, mango cake my husband ate in one day: Chef Cho

What kind of place is Chef Cho Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam?

Chef Cho Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam (쉐프조 신세계백화점 강남점) is a cake specialty shop that appeared on Master of Living (생활의달인) as one of the "four cake kings." I went for my husband, who loves mango cake. The shop carries the know-how of a Korean master confectioner with over 20 years of cake and bakery experience, and uses fresh fruit every day and 100% animal-based fresh cream to bring out the natural flavor of the ingredients. It's a premium low-sugar cake with a sweetness that isn't overdone and plenty of fruit, so if you want a cake that's good value and satisfying, this is a place to visit.

Chef Cho Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam

Chef Cho Gangnam location and cake sizes

Chef Cho is on the B1 floor of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam, and sells cakes in a range of sizes, from No. 1 whole cakes to mini whole cakes and slice cakes. That makes it easy to buy without feeling pressured. They've been making cakes and baked goods for over 20 years, and since appearing on Master of Living as one of the four cake kings, the shop has become even more popular.

On the day I visited, there were so many takeout customers lined up in front of Chef Cho that I could really feel how popular it is. It's inside Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam, so it's easy to get to, and a comfortable pick if you're looking for a cake for a special occasion.

What cakes does Chef Cho have?

The Chef Cho showcase has a wide variety of tempting cakes. Since the fruit toppings are made only with fresh fruit each day, the menu seemed to change a little with the seasons. The Fig Pistachio No. 1 cake, piled generously with figs, surprised me twice over, with both its looks and its reasonable price.

There was also the Real Mango Rose Cake, heaped with layers of real fresh mango, and a strawberry + mango combination cake. The Real Mango Rose Cake is exactly why I visited Chef Cho today. It's said to be the signature of Chef Cho Shinsegae Gangnam and the most popular cake there.

The slice cakes at Chef Cho come in lots of varieties too, and looked like a nice light dessert to give as a gift.

The freshness practically bursting out of the showcase made me even more excited about Chef Cho!

Real Mango Rose No. 1 cake, opened at home

The Real Mango Rose No. 1 cake comes in a classy gift box, so it would work well as a present too. I carried it home excited, imagining how happy my husband, a total mango cake fiend, would be. The moment he saw it, he was so happy that I got in a good mood too, you know? With a box that nice, even the person receiving it as a gift is bound to feel good.

Fresh, high-sugar mango is sliced and layered into a flower shape, and there was more mango than I expected. Anyone who loves mango will rave about Chef Cho Shinsegae Gangnam.

How did Chef Cho's Real Mango Rose Cake taste?

The Real Mango Rose Cake is filled with mango not just on top but all the way through, like a textbook example of a real mango cake. The natural sweetness of the 100% animal-based fresh cream blends with the sweet mango, and I couldn't help exclaiming at the first bite.

There's a reason it's stayed popular for over 20 years..!

The fresh mango is perfectly ripened, so it melts in your mouth like jelly. The juice bursts with every bite, and the thick mango juice mixes with the naturally sweet fresh cream, so it's not greasy at all, just fresh, bright and clean. That's Chef Cho's charm.

The natural sweetness seems like a perfect fit even for my mom, who doesn't like sweet desserts, so I'm planning to buy it again for her next birthday!

Moist sheets and a sweetness you won't tire of

The sponge sheets of Chef Cho's Real Mango Rose Cake are moist and even fluffy, blending naturally with the fresh cream and mango. Usually you get tired of a cake as you eat it, but the sweetness is natural rather than artificial, so you can enjoy it to the end without getting sick of it. I figured that's Chef Cho's secret.

For a special occasion, I recommend visiting Chef Cho Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam :) It's a truly great spot, since my husband ate the whole cake in a single day.