Darren Purchese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Darren Purchese
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| Born | 3 February 1975 Guildford, Surrey, England, UK
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| Nationality | Australian |
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| Years active | 1995–present |
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Notable work
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Sweet Studio – The Art of Divine Desserts, Lamingtons & Lemon Tart, Chefs Eat Toasties Too, Chefs Host Christmas Too, Chefs Eat Breakfast Too |
| Television | The Great Australian Bake Off |
| Spouse(s) | Cath Claringbold |
Darren Purchese (born on 3 February 1975) is a famous Australian chef, author, and TV personality. He is well-known for creating the dessert shop called Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio in Melbourne, Australia. Darren Purchese has also been a guest chef on the TV show MasterChef Australia and was a judge on The Great Australian Bake Off in 2023.
Contents
Darren Purchese's Career Journey
Becoming a Pastry Chef
Darren Purchese started his career in 1997 at the Savoy Hotel in London. He worked in the pastry department, learning from pastry chef William Curley. He gained experience in the main pastry kitchen, the bakery, and the River Restaurant.
He worked hard and became a senior pastry chef. In 2000, he moved to the Goring Hotel as the head pastry chef. Later, in 2002, he became the pastry chef at the '1837' restaurant in Raffles Brown's Hotel in Mayfair.
From 2003, he worked as the executive pastry chef at the Bentley Hotel in Knightsbridge. During this time, he received an Acorn Award. This award is given to promising young people under 30 in the UK hotel and restaurant industry.
Moving to Australia
In 2004, while still in London, Darren was invited to be a guest chef at an event in Brisbane, Australia. There, he met Cath Claringbold, who would later become his wife. She was also a chef from Melbourne.
Darren moved to Melbourne, Australia, in 2005. He started working as the head pastry chef for Shannon Bennett at his restaurant, Vue de Monde. While Darren was there, Vue de Monde earned top awards, including '3 Chef's Hats' and 'Best Restaurant'. He also managed the pastry sections for Cafe Vue and Bistro Vue.
After Vue de Monde, Darren worked as a pastry chef for Gary Mehigan at his restaurant Fenix. He also worked at Bennelong Restaurant, which is located inside the famous Sydney Opera House.
Guest Chef Appearances
Darren Purchese has been a guest chef at many Australian food events. He taught special cooking classes at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2010 and 2012. In 2012, he also gave a Masterclass at the World Chef Showcase in Sydney. He shared the stage with other famous chefs like Antonio Carluccio and Massimo Bottura.
Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio
In April 2011, Darren Purchese and his wife, Cath Claringbold, opened Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio. This dessert shop was on Chapel Street in Melbourne. It sold many different kinds of cakes and desserts. The Sweet Studio was open for 12 years and closed its doors in April 2023.
Television Appearances
Darren Purchese often appears on Australian television. He is well-known for his roles on Foxtel's 'The Great Australian Bake Off' and Network 10's MasterChef Australia. On these shows, he has been both a guest chef and a judge. He also appeared on MasterChef Australia All-Stars and Junior Masterchef.
Darren was a regular chef on Network 10's The Circle and Scope. He has also been on travel and lifestyle shows on SBS, Nine Network, Seven, and the ABC. He even had small acting roles in the TV series Neighbours in 2015 and 2018. In August 2022, Darren Purchese was announced as a new judge for the seventh season of The Great Australian Bake Off, which started in June 2023.
In May 2024, Network 10 shared that Darren Purchese appeared as a contestant on the second season of Dessert Masters.
Authoring Cookbooks
Darren Purchese has written five cookbooks, sharing his amazing recipes. These books include:
- Sweet Studio – The Art of Divine Desserts (2012) ISBN: 978-1-742663-37-1
- Lamingtons & Lemon Tart (2016) ISBN: 978-1-743791-86-8
- Chefs Eat Toasties Too – A Pro's Guide To Reinventing Your Sandwich Game (2017) ISBN: 978-1-743793-05-3
- Chefs Host Christmas Too – A Cook's Guide To Blitzing The Holiday Season (2018) ISBN: 978-1-743794-78-4
- Chefs Eat Breakfast Too – An Expert's Guide To Starting The Day Right (2019) ISBN: 978-1-743794-85-2
His book Chefs Eat Toasties Too has been translated into other languages and sold around the world. Some of these translated versions include:
- Tasty Tosti's (2018) ISBN: 978-90-245-81-19-1
- Sefkuchari Take Miluji Tousty (2018) ISBN: 978-80-7359-561-6
- Chefs Eat Melts Too (2018) ISBN: 978-1-74379-459-3
Darren has also shared his recipes in other cookbooks as a guest. These include:
- The Broadsheet Melbourne Cookbook (2015) ISBN: 978-1-743537-84-8
- Forage – A Culinary Journey Through Victoria (2015)
Brand Partnerships
Darren Purchese is an ambassador for the Sydney Swans, an AFL (Australian Rules Football) club.
He also supports important charities. He is an ambassador for the Cancer Council Australia and My Room Children's Cancer Charity.
In April 2023, Darren became a brand ambassador for That's Amore Cheese, a cheese producer based in Victoria.
In 2012, Darren worked with Connoisseur, an Australian ice cream company. He helped them create a new ice cream flavor called Murray River Salted Caramel Swirl with Chocolate Coated Toasted Hazelnuts. This flavor was available in Australia in 2012 and 2013.
