FIVE MINUTES WITH ALBURY PÂTISSIER GEOFFREY DIMITROVSKI
Tell us about the name: Geoffrey Michael Pâtissier?
GM: Geoffrey Michael are my first and middle names. My last name is Dimitrovski and is very long and hard for people to pronounce. So, after much deliberation, my wife Jenny and I both agreed on Geoffrey Michael Pâtissier. It says who I am and what I do.
Hang on a second, Dimitrovski is not French! What’s your background and what got you hooked on pastries?
GM: Dimitrovski is Macedonian. My dad came to Australia with his family when he was only two. My grandmother would always be baking cookies, slices, cakes and tortes so it was instilled in me early. But the real passion came when I started my apprenticeship at the Stamford Plaza Brisbane under a master French pâtissier and watched and learned as he created the most amazing gateaux and desserts. It was an absolute pleasure to go to work every day and learn.
Why open your business in Albury?
GM: Albury is home. My wife and I are both born and bred in Albury. We completed our high school years here and all of our friends and family live here. So, after travelling around Australia for the best part of 10 years, we thought it was time to come home. Plus we wanted our parents to be able to spend time with our young son, Ethan, who is 15 months old.
How has the response been since you opened in December 2013?
GM: The response has been amazing, not only from Albury/Wodonga. We have had people coming from Melbourne, Beechworth, Milawa and even some from as far away as Swan Hill. We feel very privileged that our local community has embraced what we are striving to achieve by bringing city flair and quality to the country.
Your gateaux are amazing individual works of art. What are some of your favourite creations?
GM: I love to design and create special occasion cakes for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas and so on. I am always striving for a great balance in taste, texture and the wow factor. I like to use Callebaut chocolate, Boiron fruit puree, and fruits that are in season and at their peak. With my gateaux, there are a lot of layers and textures and always an elaborate garnish for that all-important visual appeal. This can be very time-consuming but I would not have it any other way.
Have you have had any unusual requests from customers?
GM: We encourage our customers to sit down with us and work together to come up with something that will exceed everyone’s expectations for their wedding, birthday or anniversary. One recent request was for a four-tier cake consisting of our Border Brownie, pina-colada, hazelnut crunch and Miss Albury Strawberry with a 75-piece salted caramel Croquembouche on top, which will look amazing.
You use touches of gold and silver leaf to garnish many of your products. How much heavy metal do you expect to go through in a year, and is eating gold good for us and might we feel richer eating it?
GM: I use roughly one to two booklets containing 23 sheets of gold a month and one booklet of silver. I think the addition of gold or silver adds that little touch of class and we’re definitely a little richer for eating it.
What’s the secret to a seriously good French croissant?
GM: Great butter is a must. I use Corman butter [specially formulated for pastry-making]. Every step when making croissants is very important, from making the dough, to resting time, to layering the butter and dough. You also need to work quickly so the butter does not soften and you get the perfect shape when forming your croissant. Finally, proofing time and the baking are equally important. However, the most important aspect is you really have to love what you do.
Macrons have become so popular in Australia that they can be now found at a fast food chain – you know the dirty big ‘M’. Why have they become so fashionable here, and do your macrons have an edge over the competition?
GM: Macarons have been popular in Paris for a long time but they really took off in Australia after Adriano Zumbo appeared on MasterChef with his macaron tower. I think people love them because they are fashionable, come in a range of colours and flavours and are perfect for a treat or a gift. Our macarons are hand-made on the premises. We use only the best ingredients and are always experimenting with new flavour combinations but still embrace remakes of the classics.
Open Tuesdays to Saturday 7.30am to 3.30pm
Ground floor, The Botanical of Albury
669 Dean Street, Albury, NSW
Tel 02 6021 6733
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