This is an archive article published on May 11, 2024
Meet Anna Polyviou, the pastry chef who once set a 74-step dessert challenge for MasterChef Australia contestants
I just listen to what my audience wants, what are the trends, what’s in season, what’s the in thing. From there I add my personal touches to it to make it a true Anna Polyviou dessert, she said
If you watch MasterChef Australia, we do not need to introduce you to Anna Polyviou — the celebrated Australian pastry chef known for her delectable creations and also for introducing the world to Anna’s Mess — her 74-step white chocolate globe dessert (with circular cut-outs showcasing fresh berries and meringue kisses) — that was set as a pressure test for the contestants on Season 8 of the reality cooking show. The Sydney-based chef, who sports a signature mohawk, became a household name following the same, and calls her journey full of “great opportunities”.
Polyviou, who is currently in India running a series of masterclasses across Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Kolkata with a food lovers community Conosh, spoke with Indianexpress.com about her journey, her inspirations, her love for sweets, and more. Read the edited excerpts below:
Q- Tell us about her love for desserts and your journey as a world-renowned pastry chef.
Anna Polyviou: I’ve always liked sweet food and creating intricate desserts to share with the world. As for becoming world-renowned, it kind of just happened, with a lot of hard work…I’ve had some great opportunities like being on MasterChef Australia, Family Food Fight, DessertMasters, and more which have really helped me become the brand I am today. Along with working with some very high-profile brands. It’s also important for me to work with international brands like Conosh to reach a diverse audience.
Q – What makes desserts unique and beautiful?
Anna Polyviou: It’s all about visuals, texture, taste. They are the three things that really make a dessert.
Q- Considering the demand for low-calorie, no-sugar sweets, have you also made a switch to appeal to the palate of today’s consumers?
Anna Polyviou: We’ve reduced our sugars with natural sugars like fruits, honey, and maple syrup. But at the same time, a sweet is sweet, so I haven’t adjusted my ways too much, as I don’t want to disrupt my sweet creations too much.
Anna Polyviou: A classic sticky date put with the butterscotch sauce and vanilla bean ice cream! It just makes me feel warm inside and gives a real homely scene when eating it.
Q- Have you ever thought about an amalgamation of Indian sweets and desserts from Australia?
Anna Polyviou: It’s all about the different spices! I would love to marry those iconic Indian spices and flavours with our classic Australian desserts.
Anna Polyviou: I just listen to what my audience wants, what are the trends, what’s in season, what’s the in thing. From there I add my personal touches to it to make it a true Anna Polyviou dessert.
Jayashree Narayanan writes on fitness, health, aviation safety, food, culture and everything lifestyle. She is an alumnus of AJKMCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia and Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi ... Read More