Dessert Masters champion John Demetrios invests $100k prize into business venture
John Demetrios
Dessert Masters 2024 champion John Demetrios is putting his $100,000 prize money to work launching a boutique bakery in Malvern with his wife Martina.
The Melbourne pastry chef, who wowed judges with creations inspired by fig leaves and the Eureka Stockade, has taken on a long-term lease at 209 Glenferrie Rd, where the couple are currently fitting out the space for their new venture, Butter Days.
Teska Carson’s Rory Teska-Szer, who handled the lease, said the bakery would bring added buzz to a retail strip that’s “really come alive” in recent months.
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“It’s a really buzzy area because you’ve got big name tenants like Yo-Chi, Grill’d, Schnitz and Subway,” Mr Teska-Szer said.
“You’ve also got the new pub on the corner, the Gardiner Hotel, which has added a new kind of life to Glenferrie Rd.”
Demetrios, who worked at Vue de Monde and Omnia before appearing on Dessert Masters, is now channelling his fine-dining experience into a local bakehouse, with a focus on handcrafted, small-batch pastries.
John Demetrios and wife Martina are turning their long-held dream into reality, using his $100,000 Dessert Masters prize to launch their first bakery together. Photo: Instagram/johndemetrios
The Melbourne pastry chef has taken on a long-term lease at 209 Glenferrie Rd.
The future home of Butter Days at 209 Glenferrie Road, Malvern, just across from Yo-Chi, will soon house a boutique bakery specialising in artisan pastries.
Mr Teska-Szer said the landlord was pleased to secure a tenant of Demetrios’ profile and industry background.
“John is technically a first-time operator when it comes to running his own venue, but he’s got loads of experience in the industry and a big public profile now,” he said.
Martina, a sommelier, is also heavily involved in the venture, which will operate as a husband-and-wife business.
Demetrios claimed victory on Dessert Masters 2024 with two show-stopping desserts inspired by Australian icons, earning a near-perfect score from Melissa Leong and Amaury Guichon. Photo: Endemol Shine Australia/Network 10
Judged by Melissa Leong and Amaury Guichon, Dessert Masters saw Demetrios blend native flavours with world-class technique to take out the top spot. Photo: Endemol Shine Australia/Network 10
The couple are aiming to open the doors within a few months.
“It’s not a pop-up, they’re committing to the area,” Mr Teska-Szer said.
“There are options to renew and it’s a long-term lease.”
His winning desserts, fig leaf ice cream with lemon myrtle and a whiskey-soaked chocolate cake tribute to the gold rush, secured Demetrios the $100,000 prize. Photo: Endemol Shine Australia/Network 10
The Teska Carson agent said the deal follows two other recent leases on the strip, at 89 and 59 Glenferrie Rd noting vacancy rates were trending down.
“While there are still a few vacancies here and there, we’re seeing momentum,” Mr Teska-Szer said.
“It’s slowly becoming one of Melbourne’s better-performing retail strips again.”
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