Quotes from Adriano Zumbo

Use your imagination. Look around the kitchen and see what you can use.

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.

Before I went on sporting trips I'd take chips or lollies. I had a love for sweet foods.

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.

When we first opened in 2007 no one really knew about macarons. We sold maybe 50 to 100 a day.

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

I live my normal life. I love what I do, and try to look after myself as much as I can.

I had a Vegemite bun every day from the tuck shop for lunch when I was a kid and I was inspired by that.

The hardest challenge is doing something more traditional. When you do something new, it's easier because it's its own thing. But the traditional ones, you have to do them right.

Coming from an Italian family, my parents had supermarkets and they said I had to take over as any son should take over the family business - I copped a lot of flak when I said 'no.'

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

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

I've become good at judging whether a girl wants to be around you just because she's after your status or because you're popular.

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 think you need to have a day or two when you treat yourself, because it brings happiness, it stimulates your mind.

I love Vegemite sandwiches, Milo, ham sandwiches, chicken breasts, and that's all I used to eat. I wouldn't eat anything else. So at home there was always two sets of dinner, one for Mum and Dad and one for me, because I was so fussy.

I'll eat a bowl of bircher muesli for breakfast and I really like fresh carrot, orange, ginger and mint juice.

If you use apple in one dish think of using citrus or something more neutral like vanilla in another. You constantly need to be challenging the tastebuds but not assaulting them.

When I have red velvet cake, I normally have cream cheese icing.

Chocolate is one of those flavors that's very likeable, very loveable, very versatile.

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.

Geography was my best subject but that was only because of the game 'Carmen Sandiego.' I chased her all over the world.

The great thing about pastry is there are so many avenues - it's very hard to get bored doing this.

Everyone has different tastes and palates. Most of the time I put a smile on people's faces but sometimes you get people who have a different view and you take that on board and see what you can make of it.