Quotes

I was a bit of a wild kid.

Living in a small country town, there wasn't a whole lot to do so you find your own fun. I was always getting myself in trouble.

Despite being quite a shy kid, I was in my element with my mates. I definitely wasn't shy then. We had a lot of fun, running around town getting into mischief.

That way I look at it, I want to push myself to create things people could've never imagined. It's a good motto to have in the back of your head, I think.

As a young kid I wanted to be a truck driver.

When I was kid, one of the big things was watching all the cattle trucks and wheat trucks coming through town.

I love jelly gummy lollies, liquorice, ice-cream and I eat my own ice-cream; I take it home from work.

I've never been worried about being alone and there is no pressure to get married, although I would love to do it one day with the right girl.

I need a strong woman who can handle the attention I get and not get upset if I cuddle a stranger for a social photo.

I was a real unfocused academic student, always fiddling around in class, or doing something silly and thinking of something else that had nothing to do with school.

At school, before I left, I was making cake mixes and taking them to school, giving them to teachers and my classmates.

You need to have that natural instinct in the kitchen, in order to develop that combination of interesting flavors that make great desserts work.

Focus on the flavor and texture of your desserts. Don't go overboard with too many ingredients and flavors keep a good balance of flavors.

I think the main mistake people tend to make is that they rush desserts. Take your time and plan ahead.

I would definitely recommend getting a decent electric mixer. A good quality non-stick baking mat is also essential for creating those impressive desserts.

I love Melbourne and South Yarra's perfect for high tea.

I love high tea, but I think it's very repetitive in terms of what's on the stand.

You can always imagine the unexpected and strive for it. You may never get there, but it's always a good thing to have.

The 'Larousse' is my favorite book. It's my bible; it's a good reference for me.

I've probably got about 300 books. I love collecting books.

So my brain started ticking and I bought all my books from a cookbook shop, Libraire Gourmand in Paris. I bought them over the Internet and they sent them from France. I got the 'Larousse' in a box with 20 other books. I was pretty excited. It was like Christmas for 20 years.

It was a great challenge creating the Zumbarons. Coming up with the elements for each was the hardest, but it only took us one attempt and we were happy with the flavor.

For me with sugar, it's all about balance. It's about being strong enough and to have the willpower to say, you know what, Saturday is my treat day, I'm going to eat cake, I'm going to eat dessert, I might eat a packet of biscuits.

There's nothing better than opening a block of chocolate and sitting back and that little joy it brings to your face and to your body.

I'm not that menacing. Although I can be quite direct.