Adriano Zumbo - DESSERT MASTERS - Chef

It's in the news today, but it was actually on TV Reload, the podcast last week that mine. Welcome back guys to TV Reload. As you may know, my name is Benjamin Norris and this is your podcast to get all the inside goss on the popular TV shows that you may be watching from around the world. Underniably, our TV sets are still a major part of our home entertainment, and yet very little is known about how our favorite

Yeah? Thanks.

I know you're a very busy man, so I'm just going to quickly throw some fast questions at you.

Yeah.

Do you know what I thought was really funny in that episode was where you were talking to Melissa and you were talking about making the strawberry milkshake. You were like, don't worry, I'm not going to throw it at you. I was wondering once the episode finished, did you feel like throwing that milkshake at her? At that point?

Lusa's lovely. It's all good, you know, It's just it's a life of crimes built milk.

Absolutely not. But I mean, you were so gracious and I feel like Australia was watching your face so intently to see whether or not you were going to crack or whether you were going to throw something. But you were just so amazing. Can you explain to me what was going through your mind at that moment when you were eliminated?

Just shock mate? You know I put up a a wicked di Shu looked amazing. Y had a little crack in the side.

But you know, for me, I don't know when I create a creat with the connection and the emotion the scene, you know, how well does it connect? And I thought I smashed it, But you know, obviously it's not up to me, and you know it's the judge's final decision, so you know, just cop it on the chin and keep walking.

I would have thought that they would have asked you to host this show, not to be a contestant. Were there ever any discussions for you to be an Armor's role?

Oh no, I think I'd probably be in it if I was.

Well, would you if you had the decision to be the host of the show or to take on this amazing. I mean, this competition's been going for so long and is so popular. I mean there'd be the little well a llure of you know, wanting to be a contestant. Which one would you have chosen?

I think probably the I mean it's been amazing being a contestant because I've I've learned so much and the experience with all the other contestants was epic. But I really enjoyed the kind of judging thing, you know in a sense because you get to you know, inspire and help people and.

In different sense.

But I wouldn't take back what being a contestant or anything like that, because I think it's something now in my life that I've experienced and you know, kicked the box, you know, like something off your bucket list and being able to understand what it's like to be on the other side of the bench.

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah, yeah.

Things you have to think about, you know, while you're cooking that this comes into play. It's just it's immense and it's.

A lot, but it's a good adrenaline rush and great for the mind.

What was the most surprising thing about swapping the side of the counter in this kitchen.

Yeah, I think probably just learning all the things, you know, running for your ingredients tools, you know, like thinking of recipes in your head on the fly and then trying to execute them, you know what I mean, forgetting stuff and going back and this and then oh no, I'm going to do that for this to do and that hasn't said.

You know, It's it's kind of like.

Being at work, but like someone's put it on ten times fast forward, you know, and you just you're just hanging on and banging it out, you know, do the best you can and try and make your vision and dream come to life.

You know, when you asked to do this series, what was your first reaction? You know, did you think, should I do this show but to change the perception of who I am if I don't do well or if I do well? Like, can you talk me through what was going on in your mind?

Oh? Totally, you know, I think I want in the first perception again more than going to do it.

You know, it was just like putting myself out there to what I'm kind of get criticized and whatnot.

I've already kind of achieved a lot in life.

And you know kind of have that sort of og sort of people thinking that you're the dessert person in Australia and stuff like that. So originally, yeah, that where I was at. And then then I thought it came around. I was just like thought about it a bit and I was like, you know what, I've never done this before, Like I sin, it's like being a contestant and getting on outher side, and I sort of jumped in there and you know, I'll give it a crack.

Whatever happens happens. You know, it's competition.

Had the producers ever asked you to be on this show before as a contestant? Like, was this the first time you were asked to do it?

First time? Yeah? Yeah, first time asking to be a contestant? Yeah?

Wow? And then what's the reaction been since last night? You know, have you been getting a lot of messages from people in the industry. I mean, Dessert Mustars has already renewed for next year, so they're going to want to bring in new dessert chefs that are at your level. Do you think that people will be wondering whether or not to do the show after watching you come out of it like this.

Oh look, I think I think it was why a lot of people do the show, you know what I mean.

I think there's a lot of great, amazing dessert people in Australia and I think it will really ignite the flame for them to get out there and bring their talents and their ideas, you know, on a national scale.

I mean, the show is famous for seeing contestants by the way leave. You know, my favorite contestant Master Chef of all time is actually and you know that man's one of the best cooks in Australia. So you know, the show is set up in a way that you can easily be eliminated because it all comes down to each an individual cook, Like you could have been phenomenal the week before and then you know, it just takes one cook to not go as well and it all goes belly up.

Absolutely, it's anyone's game and any day anyone can go and any day anyone can succeed.

It really is about the cook. How it goes for you in there.

I think it's quite a bit of luck in it for some senses as well, right because in what you choose, how it goes, how it turns up at the end, and also you know, you've got to think about the judge's preferences in a sense of what they like out

Door, right, you know, we see everyday contestants on Master Chef come out of this show and what they do in their cooking journey after the series is often determined

Oh totally. I mean, this doesn't. It doesn't define who I am, what I can do, you know what I mean. It's a reality competition. Like I said, anyone could win it, anyone could lose it.

So for anyone going into these kind of things, you know, believing what you do and yourself in your personality and style and stick to it whether it does well or you know, it gets you other the first round.

To pass off for even get in.

There, you know, think for a lot of people takes a lot. For anybody, especially you know, for your home cook or a passionate home baker or anything like that, or a professional takes a lot to want to take that next step. So I think I hope that a lot of people jump on the next one and show what they can do, you know, because a lot of people in Australia.

So you know what was interesting was when I saw your name and Kristen Tibbles and I was like, you know, this is not an even playing field. You know. When I saw the lineup of cooks, I was like Oh, this is really unfair. Do you think the contestants in this competition this year has been on an even playing field when it comes to Dessert Masters?

Totally?

Yeah, I think so, you know, I think everyone's an even playing field because competition, like I said before, it's anyone's game. Could you know, if you stick to what you do and what you know and you know you can.

Make it come true reality in that time frame, you could do really well. Right.

It's one thing you could see is that small blemishes got marked harshly, you know what I mean. If you finished it and put it up of one hundred percent, then you can do really well because they like that.

They like that one hundred percent. It's just the show was I guess.

So if if you feel a little bit short or left then elemet off, they really kind of they already pick on it, right, make it quite prominent that everyone knows that you left something offul or whatnot, because I mean, I guess in TV great drama they need drama for ratings. So you know, you've got to look at some of those aspects as well. Be prepared when you're going on TV show. She like that's going to happen.

You know what I mean.

So you kind of got to make sure you bring your thick skin and and get up. You sort of knock down and get back up sort of attitude.

Yeah.

True, that's just the nature of it. So and then you got the cookie.

I mean, with this movie theme challenge, what did you think was more important? Actually, what do you think is more important now? Looking back? Do you think hitting the brief or making the dish more delicious? Because we saw with Anna she didn't really understand the theme and just made delicious desserts.

So for me, as a judge, I've been a judge in many if you don't hit the brief for me, you're out, you know, because that's the challenge.

The challenge isn't just to turn up and do whatever you want.

Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, as a queer person who grew up obsessed with breakfast to Tiffany's, the fact that she didn't have a croissant in there was really quite disturbing.

Yeah, looks a sense up to in the end, it's the judges and what their perception of it is. But yeah, yeah, I think there's yeah, there's no high teen reckast Tiffany's. But look, that's the way the ball rolls, I guess and and unfortunately, yeah, because.

The way the pastry crumbles is I think what you're what you were looking for?

It dropped out.

Yeah, your reception sounds better now because before it was a little bit crackly. Oh no way, Well you now sound like yourself. Before I was like, I'm not getting the full Adriano sounds of your voice.

I know it's a good sound.

It's a beautiful sound. I always think I could go to sleep listening to you talking about cooking.

That's creepy. Get like a little app.

I think you could read like the bed anyway, cooking bedtime Stories. There's an app there. I guarantee there's money in it as Australia's own Willy Wonka. Are you looking forward to seeing that new film coming out next month? That's what I'm keen today.

Man, can't wait.

You know, they really dogged up the last one. You don't think it's I can't wait till a new one comes out. You know, Look, it looks it looks really it looks. It looks like it's a good one.

I want to know, though, with that roll dull book, did you grow up reading that as a kid and have any idea that you would become Australia's own Willy Wonka.

Oh definitely not. Yeah, yeah, I mean I had all rolled our books. I love Rolldal so you know, it's pretty epic.

I was brought up on them. My mom was a primary school teacher and she read them all to me. But was that your favorite out of the series.

Yeah, that one and James and the Giant Peach.

I thought you were going to say George's Marvelous Medicine, which is my second favorite. All about the ingredients. You know, I'm going to have to let you go because you are literally the busiest chef working in Australia and I know how busy you are. But before you go, something I ask everyone who joins the podcast is what is something from behind the scenes, something that we didn't get a chance to see from your experience of being on Dessert Masters.

I'd have to say it'd be like either Andy Baddie without a shirt on and I'm just wearing.

An apron, or or if he's just gun for Gilado.

At night with the crew, you know, three scoops, three scoops every night was the medicine, you know for me like you would go something different every night and I'd grab three scoops, so they called me three scoops.

You know what I'm asking everyone as well is do you think that Amory good Sean is how is he getting that? How is he looking so buff in that apron? Like? Do you think that tailor making that for him?

Yeah? I think so. I think the custom custom may day we're.

Going to find out a recipe for how to look that good.

Hey, you gotta get that and you've got to get that walk when you're walking on he's got the he's got the walk and he's walking looks like he's kind of gliding across the It's kind of like a computer game, you know what I mean, kind of like when you're when you're watching.

Well mate, I just want to say I've been in your audience for so long and I'm so proud of you for being able to come on this show and do and do this. It's been fantastic to watch you on the series. I think, like the rest of Australia, we're going to be in your audience eating and watching whatever you do next.

Yeah, awesome, Thanks so much and thanks thanks for the opportunity need to talk with you and be on your show and have a great day.

Amazing,