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Step into KOI Dessert Bar, a destination where high-end pastries and ever-evolving creations combine to delight the senses. The secret ingredient? Since the beginning, KOI has used Les Vergers Boiron fruit purées, and for the past three years has proudly served as a Brand Ambassador, trusting these products to bring consistency and vibrant flavour to every dessert.
Today, we are sharing the insight of Ika, mum of the Poernomo Brothers who proudly leads this family business with her sons.
KOI Dessert is very much a family story.
“The name KOI comes from ‘Kids of Ika’ which represents our family and our shared passion for food and hospitality. In our family, food has always been central to our lives. We love eating together, talking about food, and working in hospitality.” Ika explains.
Each of Ika’s children brings a different set of skills to the table. Reynold has a strong foundation in dessert, Ronald focuses on drinks and finances, and her other son works more with savoury creations. Together, they built KOI from the ground up, opening their first store more than ten years ago, and since expanding with dessert bars in Sydney and Melbourne.
“At the time, Reynold was competing for MasterChef, which helped bring attention to what we were building. Now, my children are growing, developing their own paths and futures, but KOI will always remain a family-built brand.”
Koi has become known for not only its artistry but also for its thoughtful approach, balancing creativity with technique in every dessert.
Founded over 80 years ago, Les Vergers Boiron has earned a reputation among chefs worldwide for high-quality fruit puree that deliver reliable taste and colour, year after year. For chefs like Ika, this reliability is essential.
“I really enjoy working with Les Vergers Boiron products because of their consistency and quality. Les Vergers Boiron uses very carefully selected fruits, which means the flavour stays the same year after year. For a pastry chef, that reliability is extremely important. I’ve been using Les Vergers Boiron for around 14 years now, even before KOI, when I was running my wholesale business. They have such a wide collection of flavours, which allows me to experiment and combine ingredients creatively. The purees are not overly sweet – they are natural balance of fruit and sugar. In my desserts, I don’t add much sugar, as the sweetness already comes from chocolate and fruit so Les Vergers Boiron works perfectly with my style.”
With Les Vergers Boiron, chefs can highlight the fruit itself, building desserts that showcase natural colour and taste.
Seasonal celebrations often provide a rich canvas for pastry chefs, and KOI’s Lunar New Year creations are a perfect example.
“For Lunar New Year, inspiration always comes from Chinese culture and symbolism. This year is the Year of the Horse, so I wanted to reflect ideas of movement, growth, and ambition. Traditionally, red and gold are very important colours in Chinese celebrations, representing luck, prosperity, and happiness. I imagined a structure that felt like a journey – almost like climbing higher towards your goals. That’s why the design includes elements like clouds and layered structures, inspired by traditional Chinese artwork where horses are often shown moving through clouds. The meaning behind it is about aspiration – encouraging people to keep climbing, to keep chasing their dreams, and believing that success and good fortune will come.”
The layers are carefully balanced to complement the elegance of the design. The cake ‘The Wish’ is a bold, vibrant creation that pairs the tartness of Raspberry puree and Pomegranate with the floral sweetness of Lychee puree and a sophisticated Matcha finish.
It was a pleasure to meet with Ika and learn how family, tradition and premium ingredients like Les Vergers Boiron come together to create KOI’s signature desserts. The dessert bar continues to inspire chefs and dessert lovers alike with its artistry and commitment to excellence.
