Darren Purchese is a pastry chef, author and television personality…hang on, you all know this. Introductions are unnecessary. We chat to Darren about life as a chef, his favourite restaurants in Australia and more.
How did you carve out your career as a chef?
I have been cooking professionally for more than 20 years now and started out washing up dishes in restaurants in Europe on a Summer trip. My first proper job as a chef was at the Savoy Hotel in London where I started as a Commis Chef in a brigade of 130 chefs.
What is it about pastry and sweets that you love?
I do have a sweet tooth but I think the creativity of being a pastry chef is one of the most appealing things for me. That and the smiles on my customers’ faces when they are trying my creations out. My parents grew and cooked and the summer months had a wonderful harvest of berries; my earliest food memories are of fruit crumbles and custard.
Do you have any particular career highlights you can share with us?
I have been extremely fortunate and had an amazing career with too many highlights to mention. I have cooked for royalty, travelled the world, eaten some amazing food and cooked with the best chefs in the world but being a chef meant I met my wife Cath and moved to Australia, so that is the biggest benefit from my choice of career.
What’s your favourite sweet/dessert?
Going back to the fruit crumbles and custard. Anything with chocolate; I like it dark and bitter. I do love a classic lemon tart and a tart tatin, then there is trifle… I could go on, but my favourite current dessert at Burch & Purchese pairs coconut with passionfruit, ginger and mint.
What advice do you have for those aspiring for a career with food?
Work hard! There is no substitute for this, it is important to have a good work ethic in everything you do. Also being a chef is not a job it is a lifestyle choice as well – to get ahead all aspects of cooking and cuisine should be pursued.
Where are your favourite cafes/restaurants in Australia?
There are so many, we are very lucky here in Australia. For posh I love Café Di Stasio in St.Kilda, Vue de Monde, Attica and Brae. For cafes I love Top Paddock or a croissant from Tivoli Road Bakery. I love Ladro pizza and dumplings from Hutong.
What do you love about Australia?
Are you serious? The people, the weather, the food, the wine, plus Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio on Chapel Street! The best choice I made was to move here 10 years ago and I cannot imagine living anywhere else.
Darren was kind enough to share two of his recipes with us – chocolate mousse and milk chocolate, popcorn and honeycomb rubble – you can view/drool over them here.
