'I have been getting a lot of fan mails'

l Sweet talk

Being one of Australia’s most celebrated patisserie, it’s only fair that Adriano Zumbo has nicknames like ‘Willy Wonka’, ‘sweet assassin’ and ‘dessert king’.

He was recently in the city for the ‘World On a Plate’ event organised by Gold Rush Entertainment at VR Bengaluru and presented ‘Dirty Chai-Spiced Honey Cake’ during his masterclass.

Andriano spent some time with Anila Kurian and shared a few light moments from his dessert-filled life.  

It’s your first time in India, right?
Yes! I’m very lucky to be part of this event as I have been getting a lot of fan mails to visit India. I thought of finally showing my face here and it was awesome.

Did you have any culture shock?
You know what? I was warned about the cows on the street but I come from a country town. I have seen cows, just not on the main streets. But the traffic is exactly as bad as I was told it will be. I’m not complaining though, I guess that’s what makes the experience special.

How does it feel to be called the ‘King of Desserts’?
It’s a lot of pressure! You always need to deliver. Having said that, I love what I do and it comes very naturally to me. I don’t think of it as work at all, so it’s great.  

Have you ever had a bad dessert?
I’m not a fan of desserts made with durian. I just don’t like the smell of it; it’s too intense.

What is your least favourite ingredient to cook with?
It’s hard to answer that because I like everything. I like the challenge of finding a use for every ingredient and balancing it with other flavours. So every ingredient comes in handy, you just have to find its purpose.

Your description of a ‘foodie’...
Someone who is interested in food, who will like to experience it by dining or cooking on their own. A foodie is also a person who is not a professional but has a passion for it due to learning about different cultures.

If this was your last weekend alive, where and what would you be eating? 
I would be at home with my family and I will be eating chocolates, ice cream... mostly all the unhealthy stuff. If I am going, I might as well make it a sweet departure.

You are stuck in a desert with three ingredients. What would you make?
A dessert, of course! My ingredients will be chocolate, honey and raspberries.

A misconception about pastry chefs that you want to clear...
The idea that everything has to be complicated. For instance, if I am going for a dinner, the host is embarrassed that they didn’t make a good enough dessert. To set the record straight, we chefs are happy with a simple dessert — even a simple apple pie will do the trick!