STEPHEN LAMBERT
Pastry Maker ZEST PASTRIES
Location: Stanthorpe, Granite Belt Wine Country, Queensland
When did you begin pastry making?
“I am Swiss trained, my pastry chef at the Coolum Hyatt was Swiss and he showed me the path of pastry goodness.” ZEST Pastries opened in 2013 and Stephen is the only one who has ever made the pastry for ZEST.
What made you decide to become a pastry maker?
Stephen didn’t enjoy school and so he left to do a trade and the bakery around the corner from him in Woombye had an apprenticeship. He learnt the pastry in his next job at the Hyatt Coolum.
What does your day-to-day actually look like?
“I don’t stop all night. Usually 10hrs of bread, pies, sourdough, tarts, croissants and Danish.”
Is there a product you are most known for?
Pies and almond croissants.
Do you have a favourite product, or one you are most excited about?
“Sourdough its always changing and having to adapt to get a great product.”
Do you have a favourite tool in your trade, that you just couldn’t live/work without?
“My pastry sheeter to mould the pastry into sheets.”
What do you wish everyone knew about your products?
“Everything is brought from basic materials and made into what you see in the shop with a lot of love and skill.”
When you’re not pastry making, what do you like to do out and about on the Granite Belt?
“Mountain bike riding here is great”