How did you get into the kitchen?
I was inspired by cooking shows such as Masterchef since I was a kid – I thought “If they can do it, so can I”. So I started cooking three course meals (complete with printed menus) and baked goods for family and friends at around seven years old. At 13, I began taking cake orders from friends, and then the café down the road caught wind of what I was doing and challenged me to create an ‘extreme doughnut’ for them for Valentine’s Day. I headed to the chemist, bought some syringes and made my first batch – doughnuts the shape of love-hearts with an injectable jam centre. The rest is history!So your parents didn’t really play a role in you becoming a foodie?
No, actually my parents have become foodies because of me! Mum had a rule she would only make meals with less than four ingredients so our dinners were always quite simple. She didn’t enjoy cooking but she says she does now – but I think it is only because she likes to help and support me!How does this work – you’re a kid! How do you fit it all in?
I am normal teenager during the week but when the weekend rolls around I head straight to the kitchen. Each weekend I make around 750 doughnuts for the cafés I supply, and when there is an event on I will make up to 2000 doughnuts. Whenever I do the Flour Market, I sell out within two hours – sometimes people are lining up for 40 minutes just to get one doughnut! It is one of the busiest days ever but I don’t care, it is so much fun.What is your favourite doughnut you have created?
Personally, I’ve only ever eaten two doughnuts in my entire life! When you work with them all the time – the dough, chocolate, sugar – you get over them. So all I want is savoury flavours, meat or something really bland when I get home from school. I don’t want a sugar high. But if I had to, because I like caramel flavours, I would pick the Golden Gaytime as my favourite invention.What is the weirdest flavour?
I change flavours each day and I like to drop in weird ones every month such as Fruit Loops or mini Oreos with marshmallows. Some of the bacon ones are really out there. I once did a cronut with coffee cream, maple glaze and maple bacon piled high. It was massive – just too big! So I refined the design and now it is a pure injection of maple syrup in a bacon covered doughnut, which is the very popular maple bacon flavour.What do your school friends think of this?
They all like that I do it , but they think I live a double life. I guess I do – I change out of my school uniform and into my apron.Where do you like to eat in Melbourne?
When I am on school holidays I aim to go to one new café or restaurant every day. I recently went to Dinner by Heston at Crown which is one of the best restaurants I have been to with regard to food quality and creativity. I like Rockpool, as well as fast paced Asian restaurants such as Chin Chin and Hawker Hall. I love Andrew McConnell’s restaurants, particularly Cutler&Co and I am looking forward to trying Marion soon.Who are your foodie idols?
Andrew McConnell and Heston Blumenthal are my favourite chefs. I like Darren Purchase (fromBurch and Purchase) – it’s good for the right occasion. Very over the top!What do you want to do in the future?
Well straight out of Year 12 I want my own at least one café. I want to do all types of food and be a real chef – not just desserts. Eventually I would like to have three different types of restaurants – a fine dining one, a nice casual restaurant and a faced-paced street-food Hawker Hall kind. As well as a few cafés. And a doughnut shop on the side.Doughnuts are the big trend in Melbourne desserts right now – what do you think the next one will be? And will you be jumping on board?!
I think that doughnuts are not just a trend. They have been around for a long time – look at the Simpsons. Homer always goes for a doughnut and that was more than 20 years ago. I don’t think there will ever be a time that they go out of style because everyone likes a hot jam doughnut. I definitely think they will remain central to a lot of people’s hearts – and taste buds.
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