Sweet Things

Desserts have always been of paramount importance at Rockpool. I have always maintained that a good ending is as important as a good beginning, from the time the door opens to the time petits fours are served and goodbyes exchanged. To do this means running a big kitchen brigade and floor team, and making substantial investment in the pastry section.

The head pastry chef would also have to be someone with similar ideas about food as I and someone I could work closely with. Lorraine Godsmark used to be the manager at Perry’s, but really wanted to learn to cook, so she used to come in and work some mornings with me. Together, we’d make puff pastry, brioche, cakes, bavarois and stocks. When I opened the Bluewater Grill at Bondi, I asked Lorraine to come and look after the pastry section and do some other cooking for me. She dived in at the deep end and took the job. I especially wanted to bring cheesecakes of quality back to Sydney restaurants, an idea that Lorraine pursued with a vengeance. Her passionfruit and banana cheesecakes soon became legendary. She left after a while to pursue cooking in other directions when I left for overseas.