Adriano Zumbo has Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka tattooed onto his right arm. This is a man who wants to bring magic into the every day and someone who has created too many memorable desserts to count. Remember the floating Willy Wonka hat cake? Mind blown.
the creative process
Most days you’ll find me in the kitchen, thinking up and creating new recipes. I find inspiration every single day, in everything that I do. It sounds corny, but life is inspiring. It’s all around us, every minute and every second.
When it comes to thinking up the dessert challenges for the contestants on Masterchef and Just Desserts, I have to go to that happy place, where I can let the creativity flow. There are some challenges of course that have been pre-organised by the network, but when it’s up to me, I like to create something really show stopping.
One thing I always have with me is a clothes peg. People always ask what the story behind the peg is. It’s simple really. I found it on my kitchen floor eight years ago and had a really great day, so it been my faithful accessory and lucky charm ever since.
I’ve always continued to do what I love. It’s how I’ve gotten to where I am today. If I was speaking to my younger self, I’d tell him to listen to what you really need and not to fret about what others think. It’s important to never let others cloud your judgement. Aspiring chefs looking to enter the food industry today should understand that it’s a hard slog. But if you work hard, believe in yourself and have a dream, then be sure to chase it and never give up.
the first bite
This is going to sound incredibly Australian of me, but the first taste I remember is Vegemite. It’s just one of those flavours that will always stick with you.
If I was to host a dinner party it would be a veritable melting pot of personalities. I’d invite my family (of course), Jamie Oliver, Nelly, Alan Jackson, Emily Ratajkowski, Julianne Moore, The Rock, Justin Bieber, Chris Tucker, Jackie Chan, Scarlett Johansson and Iggy Azalea. It would be an incredibly interesting night to cook up a storm.
Bring the Zumbo magic home by ordering from his restaurants with foodora and view his exclusive Peanut Butter Brownie recipe here
