Pastry chef Gareth Whitton started baking at home to keep busy amidst the coronavirus lockdowns in 2020 when his partner Catherine Way had the idea of starting a business selling these irresistible desserts. Now with two stores, a cookbook and a toddler keeping them busy, Catherine takes a moment to chat flavour inspiration, crowd favourites and pastry tips for home chefs.
@tarts_anon
Tell us a bit about your background and what inspired Tarts Anon...
Gareth's pastry experience was fully in fine-dining restaurants in Australia and abroad prior to starting Tarts Anon. The beginnings of Tarts Anon were really just by happenstance, however. Gareth was creating these beautiful, restaurant-quality tarts in our small, microwave oven of a weekend during the pandemic, and I suggested we should start selling some of his tart creations from our apartment building to our neighbours and local community. I created a logo and did a flyer drop in our apartment building, and the rest is history!
Tutto Tea Towel in Roy I @tarts_anon
What is your signature must-try tart?
Our classic Chocolate and Caramel is one that we keep on high rotation, and has been a crowd favourite since day one. Some of our new creations, though, are our favourites such as Key Lime Tart, Pistachio and Orange, or another classic, Smoked Pecan and Butterscotch.
What inspires your monthly flavour combinations?
Usually, we're inspired by the seasonality of fruits and vegetables, the weather (hello, Pumpkin and Spiced Caramel Tart for Melbourne's cold winters) as well as what our customers are asking us to bring back. We have a rotating monthly menu of five sweet and two savoury tarts each month, so if something is popular one month, we try and bring it back before too long.
@tarts_anon
What do you think sets you apart from other pasty offerings?
We're so in love with all the amazing pastry offerings around Melbourne – we are spoiled for choice! We love tarts because they are equally at home in the display cabinet of a homely country bakery as they are at a three-Michelin-Star restaurant. We like to think we're bringing the refined techniques of fine dining pastry (from Gareth's experience in that arena) to the approachable setting of your local pastry shop.
Two flagship stores, a cookbook and a toddler... What's next?
Not another cookbook or toddler, that's for sure! Maybe a holiday would be nice.
Best pastry tip you can share with us?
Read the recipe all the way through before you start, be precise with your measurements and enjoy the process. Your failures will teach you more than your successes.
@tarts_anon
To experience Tarts Anon, click here for more information
