Designer dessert: Adriano Zumbo Pâtissier launches at The Star

Food and fashion have a lot in common: they're both trend-driven; come down to individual taste; have broad categories and varieties; can be luxurious or comforting; and are hopefully satisfying.

Always one to take things a step further, Adriano Zumbo has introduced the idea of seasonal collections to his desserts. And given his sweet creations are as colouful and complex as any haute couture runway, it makes some sense that he's using a dessert-inspired fashion show to launch his newest patisserie at The Star, which opens this very weekend.

Adriano Zumbo launching Adriano Zumbo Pâtissier at The Star, Pyrmont

In collaboration with Mossée, Farage, im Boutique lingerie, and in conjunction with the launch of his new book Zumbo, the well turned-out crowd sipped Moet and cocktails and munched on sushi and sashimi canapes in anticipation of the "AZ Summer Collection 2011". Candy pink lights illuminated the space and runway outside the wide, white-curtained new shopfront, soon to be revealed.

Caramel popcorn martini by The Star

I was drawn to the cocktail in the martini glass which was garnished with caramel popcorn on a skewer. Designed by bartenders of The Star and in keeping with the Willy Wonka quirkiness, the caramel popcorn martini was smashing.

The vodka was infused with popcorn via the fat washing method, where presumably popcorn is cooked in lots and lots of butter which is then added to the booze. After setting and straining out all the fat, the popcorn taste miraculously pops into the vodka, in quite a strong fashion too compared to some bacon-infused booze I've tried.

Mixed with a dash of caramel sauce and coconut water, this is definitely what Willy Wonka would be serving if he could get a small bar license in Sydney.

AZ Summer Collection 2011 - Caramelised pumpkin seed Zumboron - clothes by Mossée
(image courtesy of Hausmann)

The fashion parade started fashionably late and it was a little difficult to make out some of the desserts. The show featured a few stunners in terms of the Gateaux de voyage - larger cakes that wowed the crowds as much as the first lingerie-clad model (see more fashion parade photos at my Facebook page).

Lemon verbena Zumboron - clothes by Mossée

Berry Bag (feature item not on menu) - clothes by Mossée

Pecanne: Blackcurrant jelly, blackcurrant ganache, chocolate almond cake, pecanpraline (Gateaux de voyage)  - clothes by Farage

Water My Melons: Orange creameaux, watermelon jelly, compressed watermelon,yogurt crème légère - clothes by Farage

Lemon Carpet Crush: Crème citron, flourless lemon cake, lemon crush liquid, vanillaChantilly, lemon crush jelly, lime marshmallow - underwear by im Boutique

Lemon Meringue: Flourless lemon cake (Gateaux de voyage) - lingerie by im Boutique

Eu-Genius: Caramelized puff pastry, chocolate crunch coconut jelly, violet gel,blackcurrant crème légère - lingerie by im Boutique

As the designer (Zumbo) came out at the last round of the show, the curtains covering the shopfront fell dramatically to the cheers of the appreciative crowd, revealing the confectionary pink and yellow wonderland of Zumbo's creations, with full view of the pastry chefs and ovens too.

Adriano Zumbo Pâtissier at The Star
(image courtesy of Hausmann)

Designed by Luchetti Krelle, there is a definite Willy Wonka feel about the space. I overheard The Star managing director Sid Vaikunta talk excitedly about the conveyor belt in the patisserie, offering sushi train style service, which could be very, very dangerous.

Berry Bag (feature item not on menu)

On the other side, there were displays in the front window, as any designer shopfront would have, featuring the season's collection under bright lights and glassed in away from hungry hands.

Man Goes Peanuts: Peanut butter crunch, mango compote,
mango burnt honey mousse, pain de epice

Ssnowmanorr: Pâté a choux, bubble tea custard, lychee coconut crème légère,
lychee gel, coconut crunch

Eu-Genius: Caramelized puff pastry, chocolate crunch coconut jelly, violet gel,
blackcurrant crème légère

Water My Melons: Orange creameaux, watermelon jelly, compressed watermelon,
yogurt crème légère

NYC Eclair: Pâté a choux, sour cream légère, shortbread crunch, compressed custard

Xiwt: Chocolate Bar Tarts

Lemon Meringue: Flourless lemon cake (Gateaux de voyage)

Pecanne: Blackcurrant jelly, blackcurrant ganache, chocolate almond cake,
pecan praline (Gateaux de voyage)

And next to the bathtub filled with packed chocolate goodies, there are playful cabinets within housing bright, multi-coloured macarons, or indeed as they seem to have been renamed, "Zumborons".

Macaron cabinets

Flavours in this summer collection include coconut, lavender and green chilli (delish!); lime and mint mojito; blood peach; lychee; cola; milk chocolate, chilli and cinnamon; and tonka bean and passionfruit. We were also treated to the collection cakes, some considerately miniaturised so we could fit more in.

Lemon Carpet Crush: Crème citron, flourless lemon cake, lemon crush liquid,
vanillaChantilly, lemon crush jelly, lime marshmallow

Berry meringue tarts (name unknown)

Ssnowmanorr: Pâté a choux, bubble tea custard, lychee coconut crème légère,
lychee gel, coconut crunch

Lychee gel centre

While the relaunch of The Star might have kept cynics at bay, the impending openings of Sokyo and Momofuku Seiobo are only going to add to the hype that Zumbo will create as his loyal legion of fans descend upon the casino.

Fans might also go crazy for Zumbo's long-awaited book, Zumbo, which we got in the goodie bag and is filled with so many recipes it makes my teeth hurt just looking at it. It's sectioned into "Zumborons", chocolates, pastries, gateaux de voyage, cakes and desserts - the latter two chapters of which look like so much fun for at-home designer desserts too.

Pages from Zumbo (by Murdoch Books)

Pages from Zumbo (by Murdoch Books)

 Food, booze and shoes attended the launch of Adriano Zumbo Pâtissier at The Star courtesy of Hausmann.