Award-winning pastry chef Anna Polyviou shares her journey from Sofitel apprentice to Shangri-La creative director, her bold "don't be afraid to be different" philosophy, and her new role mentoring finalists in the Proud to Be a Chef program.
Read MoreAward-winning pastry chef Anna Polyviou shares her journey from Sofitel apprentice to Shangri-La creative director, her bold "don't be afraid to be different" philosophy, and her new role mentoring finalists in the Proud to Be a Chef program.
Melbourne’s dessert scene is thriving thanks to innovators like Gareth Whitton of Tarts Anon, who turned a lockdown home-baking side hustle into a cult-favourite tart empire, and Joane Yeoh of Kori, serving playful, modern Japanese-inspired ice cream. Both chefs combine classical technique with creativity, proving that real, handmade desserts can be as exciting as they are delicious. Their ever-evolving flavours and unique store experiences keep locals coming back for more.
Celebrating its 30th birthday as this issue goes live, Gumnut Patisserie is a family owned business with two generations of pâtissiers working in its kitchens. Started by husband and wife team Tracy and Vicki Nickl, who have since been joined by their sons Josh and William, the story of Gumnut is one of hard work, dedication and commitment to preserving the skillset of the pâtissier – while at the same time celebrating some of Australia’s traditional cake and pastry favourites. Foodservice Rep caught up with all four Gumnut family members to get a glimpse inside its operations.
As Group Pastry Chef at MoVida Group in Melbourne, Angelica Iuliano is passionate about developing exciting desserts that not only attract customers but keep them coming back. She describes her approach as “not following the crowd – I like to use the classics as a base but revamp them in my own way, so I can surprise our guests by taking something they know and adding a different element.”
Internationally acclaimed pastry chef Christy Tania has a diploma from the renowned École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie – the benchmark school for pastry making professionals – but she says she isn’t bound by classical pastry presentation styles.
Cakes and pastries are always popular with customers, and buying in readymade frozen product is a cost-effective menu choice, especially given the current staff and skills shortage throughout foodservice. You don’t have to source the ingredients, buy them in or bake – just pull a slice, pastry or cake from the freezer and you’re ready to roll!
Given today’s shortage of skilled staff, plus the ever tighter profit margins squeezing the foodservice market, it’s no surprise to see ‘from scratch’ desserts disappearing from our menus, being replaced by innovative pre-prepared products.
Foodservice REP is an Australian foodservice industry publication covering the latest news, trends, people, products and insights across the hospitality, restaurant and foodservice sectors.
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