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Darren Purchese is a British chef and television personality who is best known for his sweet creations. He has an established career in the food industry and has appeared in multiple television series. Although he is relatively well known, especially by Australian viewers, there are many Darren Purchese facts that people do not know. What are some facts about Darren Purchese that our readers may find interesting? Here are some Darren Purchese facts to get to know the British chef.
Darren Purchese Facts: His Early and Personal Life
Where Was Darren Purchese Born?
Darren Purchese was born in Guildford, Surrey, England, on the 3rd of February 1975.
Is Darren Purchese Married?
Darren Purchese is married to fellow chef Cath Claringbold. The couple met in 2004 when Purchese was a guest chef at The Brisbane Masterclass Weekend in Queensland, Australia. Their meeting answers another of the Darren Purchese facts that his fans often want to know: When did Darren Purchese move to Australia? The chef moved to Australia, relocating to Melbourne, a year after meeting his wife.
Does Darren Purchese Have Children?
No, Darren Purchese and his wife do not have any children.
Facts About Darren Purchese: His Culinary Career
Where Did Darren Purchese Train as a Chef?
As he is a British-born chef, Purchese began his career in the UK. He first began his training at the Savoy Hotel in the pastry department. He then moved to the Goring Hotel in 2000, where he was appointed the head pastry chef. Purchese has also worked at the Bentley Hotel in Knightsbridge and Raffles Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair.
Where Did Darren Purchese First Work in Australia?
Purchese moved to Melbourne in 2005, a year after meeting his wife. His first job in Australia was working as the head pastry chef for Shannon Bennett at his Vue de Monde restaurant. He went on to oversee the pastry departments at Bennett’s Bistro Vue and Café Vue businesses. He has also worked at the restaurants of Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris in various capacities.
When Did Darren Purchese Open His Own Business?
Purchese went out on his own in 2011 when he opened Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio with his wife. It is located on Chapel Street, which is Melbourne’s primary shopping, dining, and entertainment precinct. The sweet studio is a retail space that sells desserts, cakes, and other sweet treats. It also serves coffee, and there is both indoor and outdoor seating. His elaborate creations mean people consider him one of the leaders in dessert food trends.
How Many Cookery Books Has Darren Purchese Written?
In addition to working as a pastry chef and appearing on television, Darren Purchese has also written several cookbooks. During his career, he has written five cookbooks. His first, Sweet Studio- The Art of Divine Desserts, was published in 2012. His most recent, Chefs Eat Breakfast Too- An Expert’s Guide to Starting the Day Right, was published in 2019. Purchese also contributed to two cookbooks in 2015: The Broadsheet Melbourne Cookbook and Forage- A Culinary Journey Through Victoria.
Darren Purchese’s Career in Television
When Did Darren Purchese First Appear on MasterChef Australia?
Darren Purchese is probably best known to television viewers for his appearances on MasterChef Australia as one of the guest judges. He first appeared in the series in the second season in 2010. Purchese has appeared in every series since, alongside regular judges, including Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris, Matt Preston, Melissa Leong, Jock Zonfrillo, and Andy Allen. Other pastry chefs who have made multiple appearances on the series are Adriano Zumbo and Kirsten Tibballs. Other guest judges include Peter Gilmore, Matt Moran, and Curtis Stone.
On What Else Has Darren Purchese Appeared?
Some of the other series in which Darren Purchese has appeared include The Circle, Scope, MasterChef All-Stars, and various lifestyle and travel series aired on ABC, Seven, Nine Network, and SBS.
Darren Purchese Will Present The Great Australian Bake Off
In 2023, Darren Purchese will begin presenting The Great Australian Bake Off alongside Rachel Khoo. The pair will replace former presenters Maggie Beer and Matt Moran.
Other Darren Purchese Facts
He Once Appeared in Neighbours
One of the Darren Purchese facts that many of his fans do not know is that he once appeared in a cameo role in the Australian soap series Neighbours in 2015, as did his business.
Purchese Supports Charities
Darren Purchase supports several charities. Most notably, he is an ambassador for both My Room Children’s Cancer Charity and Cancer Council Australia.
He Is an Australian Football Fan
In his free time, Darren Purchese is passionate about Australian football. He is an ambassador for the AFL Club Sydney Swans.
Purchese Is a Brand Ambassador
Like many people in the public eye, Darren Purchese has become a brand ambassador. Since 2023, he has represented That’s Amore Cheese, a Victoria-based business. Another interesting fact about Darren Purchese is that he collaborated with the Australian ice cream producer Connoisseur to create the Murray River Salted Caramel Swirl with Chocolate Coated Toasted Hazelnuts flavour ice cream. The company sold the flavour in Australia from 2012 to 2013.
At The Fruity Tart, we love reading about celebrity chefs, so we hope you enjoyed reading our Darren Purchese facts!