Sugar brings happiness. Eating it once or twice a week in a dessert, that's what life is about. There is nothing wrong with it.

For me with sugar, it's all about balance. It's about being strong enough and to have the willpower to say, you know what, Saturday is my treat day, I'm going to eat cake, I'm going to eat dessert, I might eat a packet of biscuits.

There is sugar in everything. It doesn't matter what you eat in life, there is sugar in it.

It was a great challenge creating the Zumbarons. Coming up with the elements for each was the hardest, but it only took us one attempt and we were happy with the flavor.

Texture and flavor is king.

So my brain started ticking and I bought all my books from a cookbook shop, Libraire Gourmand in Paris. I bought them over the Internet and they sent them from France. I got the 'Larousse' in a box with 20 other books. I was pretty excited. It was like Christmas for 20 years.

I've probably got about 300 books. I love collecting books.

The 'Larousse' is my favorite book. It's my bible; it's a good reference for me.

You can always imagine the unexpected and strive for it. You may never get there, but it's always a good thing to have.

When I have red velvet cake, I normally have cream cheese icing.

I love high tea, but I think it's very repetitive in terms of what's on the stand.

I love Melbourne and South Yarra's perfect for high tea.

I would definitely recommend getting a decent electric mixer. A good quality non-stick baking mat is also essential for creating those impressive desserts.

I think the main mistake people tend to make is that they rush desserts. Take your time and plan ahead.

Focus on the flavor and texture of your desserts. Don't go overboard with too many ingredients and flavors keep a good balance of flavors.

You need to have that natural instinct in the kitchen, in order to develop that combination of interesting flavors that make great desserts work.

At school, before I left, I was making cake mixes and taking them to school, giving them to teachers and my classmates.

Geography was my best subject but that was only because of the game 'Carmen Sandiego.' I chased her all over the world.

I was a real unfocused academic student, always fiddling around in class, or doing something silly and thinking of something else that had nothing to do with school.

Coming from an Italian family, my parents had supermarkets and they said I had to take over as any son should take over the family business - I copped a lot of flak when I said 'no.'

I need a strong woman who can handle the attention I get and not get upset if I cuddle a stranger for a social photo.

I've never been worried about being alone and there is no pressure to get married, although I would love to do it one day with the right girl.

I love jelly gummy lollies, liquorice, ice-cream and I eat my own ice-cream; I take it home from work.

I love Vegemite sandwiches, Milo, ham sandwiches, chicken breasts, and that's all I used to eat. I wouldn't eat anything else. So at home there was always two sets of dinner, one for Mum and Dad and one for me, because I was so fussy.