Adriano Zumbo opens first Queensland store at Noosaville

Four years after the dramatic closure of his Sydney and Melbourne stores, celebrity chef Adriano Zumbo is back in the kitchen at his own patisserie at Noosaville.

Celebrity chef Adriano Zumbo is back in the kitchen creating the sweet treats he’s best known for four years after the collapse of his business empire.

Mr Zumbo, 40, has opened his first Queensland business Zumbo Test at Noosaville after spending several years working behind the scenes at restaurants on the Sunshine Coast.

The patisserie will feature his classics once served at his Sydney and Melbourne stores including his famous macarons as well as new creations.

“I still have plenty of ideas and drive and willpower to do something,” he said.

Celebrity dessert chef Adriano Zumbo has opened a patisserie at Noosaville, Zumbo Test. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“Making delicious cakes is amazing and I love it but it is taxing … I had to think about if I wanted to do it again.

“Anybody who has a cafe or restaurant knows you sacrifice your life to get it going.

“It was one of those things where I sat back and thought there’s nothing else I really want to do.”

The vision of his new Rene St business is in the name – it is a test kitchen where he could explore his creativity.

“It’s like a playground – the idea is we’ll make stuff, change things, cover plenty of categories from doughnuts to macarons and we’ll be making chocolates soon too,” Mr Zumbo said.

Head chef Daniel Texter and Adriano Zumbo has opened a patisserie at Noosaville, Zumbo Test. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Mr Zumbo had 11 stores in Sydney and Melbourne – built off the success of his appearances on MasterChef and as the star of Channel 7s Zumbo’s Just Desserts.

Bus Mr Zumbo called in administrators in 2018 and every store was closed down.

After spending several years working in other people’s restaurants Mr Zumbo said he had to rethink what he wanted.

“It come to the point where I didn’t know what I was going to do with myself,” he said.

“I don’t have any other real skills other than to do what I enjoy and love.

“It all kind of fell into place from there.”

He said he was more aware of the risks of opening a business now compared to when he was thrown into the spotlight after his major MasterChef debut 13 years ago.

Mr Zumbo said his advice to others in business was to “take it slow”.

“Take your time, build your structure and the back end and make sure that’s solid,” he said.

“There’s no one who comes to your business and says ‘here’s your first business and this is what to do’.

“When you’re cooking 12 hours a day it’s hard … then you start doing other stores and it turns into a big washing machine and things get out of hand.”

Zumbo Test is pick-up only with orders being taken online.

“I wanted to get back into it and be able to cook what I wanted to,” he said.

“We’re in a great area so I want to use local produce where possible.”

Originally published as Adriano Zumbo opens first Queensland store at Noosaville