Yarraville’s Gigi’s Gelato is adding authentic Italian profiteroles to the menu this May, available every Friday to Sunday throughout the month. The classic dessert is handcrafted by Le Cordon Bleu Grand Diplôme-trained chef Gigi Pozzoli, whose credentials are internationally recognised as the highest award for superior cuisine and patisserie. The profiteroles feature light, airy choux pastry filled with rich custard and finished with silky chocolate, served with fresh whipped cream in a ready-to-enjoy cup at $15. A chill bride’s wedding cake, this popular dessert is also often referred to as a ‘cream puff’. While it’s had a presence on cafe menus for a long time, the Italian sweet treat had a bit of a resurgence in the mid-2010’s, when specialty patisseries began to make profiteroles their whole personality. No shortcuts Gigi’s Gelato has been Slow Food-accredited since 2023, a nod to its commitment to premium ingredients and traditional techniques. This is owing to the fact that Pozzoli takes his art very seriously, making everything from scratch in the kitchen, no shortcuts taken. Pozzoli said: “A big part of our ethos is bringing Italian cuisine to Melbourne. We thought it was time to add authentic Italian profiteroles to the menu, done the traditional way – light, airy choux pastry with rich custard and silky chocolate.” Despite the name, gelato isn’t the only thing worth ordering. The Yarraville spot is also known for its cake menu, with the current seasonal offering being a chocolate-stracciatella cake. Profiteroles in a cup are available Friday to Sunday throughout May at Gigi’s Gelato, 15 Anderson Street, Yarraville. Source: Honey Buzz PR Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

Christina Tosi is bringing Milk Bar to Sydney for the first time, touching down in Australia as part of American Express delicious. Month Out (AEDMO) this May. The New York pastry chef and Milk Bar founder will transform Ace Hotel Sydney’s Surry Hills laneway cafe Good Chemistry into Milk Bar from May 1-3, running daily from 8 am to 2 pm. Rumour has it that Tosi will also be making a special appearance on the first two mornings of the takeover. On the menu: Tosi’s renowned Cereal Milk soft serve, signature cookies and a yet-to-be-revealed limited-edition dessert inspired by classic Australian flavours with a signature Milk Bar spin. The first 100 American Express Card Members through the door each day will receive a complimentary serving. Tosi says, “I’m so excited to be bringing Milk Bar to Ace Hotel Sydney in partnership with American Express. I can’t wait to share some of our most-loved creations, along with a dessert for this moment – an homage to the flavours Australians know and love, with a signature Milk Bar twist.” Seven years: Good luck, great deals Now in its seventh year, AEDMO runs nationally throughout May. The Card Member offer is available at over 65,000 participating venues across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Canberra from April 28 to May 31, offering 20% back up to $25 per card. Since launching in 2020, the campaign has contributed over $216 million to the local dining industry. Last year, 68% of Amex spend at participating venues came from Card Members who hadn’t visited that venue in the prior six months. Naysla Edwards, Vice President of Brand, Marketing and Member Experience at American Express, said: “We’re thrilled to be celebrating the return of AEDMO 2026 alongside Christina Tosi. “We’re proud of the role this campaign continues to play in supporting the Australian dining industry and the way our Card Members get behind it each year. At its heart, AEDMO is about encouraging people to dine out, whether that’s at their favourite restaurant or venturing out somewhere new.” AEDMO sits alongside other American Express small business programs, including Shop Small, now in its fourteenth year. Krysia Bonkowski, Content Director of delicious., said: “AEDMO is back, and we’re thrilled to once again be part of a campaign that supports one of our most important industries. “Together with American Express and trusted hospitality partners, we will spend the month encouraging diners to get out, stay out and rediscover all the many things that make Australia’s dining scene one of the most exciting in the world.” AEDMO kicks off on April 28, with more deals, events and offers expected to come to light over the next few days. Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Hard FIZZ founding brewer Paul Wootton is launching Spark, a new vodka label he’s describing as Australia’s first liqueur with a functional ingredient. The spirit combines natural flavours with guarana, an ingredient that naturally contains energy, with hints of strawberry and grape. It’s a reimagining of FIZZ X, an early Hard FIZZ blend that took an alcoholic spin on energy drinks. The concept has been years in the making, born out of conversations with Gold Coast bartenders looking to revive shot culture. With limited options beyond vodka, tequila and party shots, Wootton saw a gap and ran with it. Paul Wootton, Founder of Spark, said: “In another role, venues around the Gold Coast were telling me they wanted to find something to bring back good old fashioned shots. Everyone I spoke to was saying the same thing: ‘We only have a few options and it’s either vodka, tequila or party shots’ – that’s when I had the idea for Spark. “It’s the functional ingredient, that being guarana, which naturally contains energy, that makes it unique. I’ve seen a few similar concepts in Brazil, but nothing in Australia. “We did FIZZ X a few years ago and that had a bit of a cult following at the time, but I always wanted to explore those functional ingredients in spirits some more, so I’ve branched out on my own with Spark. “Consumers are quite adventurous these days with their drinking palette, and willing to give new types of alcohol a go.” Gold Coast spirits scene Spark launches into a Gold Coast drinks industry that is building a reputation for premium spirits. The Burleigh area is home to six distilleries, more than any other electorate in Queensland, excluding breweries, which fall under a separate classification. While breweries dominated the conversation a few years ago, the market is shifting back towards premium spirits and Wootton believes the Gold Coast’s industrial precincts are well-suited to ride that wave. Wootton added, “The Gold Coast is really supportive of the alcohol industry. Those industrial precincts at the back of Burleigh Heads are really suited to alcohol production, so there’s definitely a scene there. “Breweries were a bit of a ‘thing’ a couple of years ago, and there’s still some great ones around, but the market is turning back to premium spirits, and I think the Gold Coast can position itself well with the right support.” Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

Pappa Flock is relaunching its original Parramatta store this Friday, April 17, following a full refurbishment of the location where the brand got its start in 2023. The fried chicken tenderloin chain has grown to 12 stores across two states and recently passed 500 crew members nationwide. The Parramatta relaunch marks a return to the store that kicked it all off. Back to the beginning The refurbished fit-out includes the brand’s disco balls, a custom mural from local artist Brent Smith and a new ‘Flavour Up’ condiments station. The self-serve station is stocked with honey, pickle combo, spicy pickles, spicy seasoning and hot sauce, allowing customers to customise across sweet, sour and spicy flavour profiles at no extra cost. The most notable addition is the Crunch of Fame floor, featuring permanent plaques for six original Parramatta crew members still with the brand: Vill, CJ, Shaamal, Laura, Chell and Taylan. Rachel Korbel, Chief Marketing Officer at Pappa Flock, said: “We are absolutely nothing without our crew. To honour the O.G. Parramatta crew who are still with us today, we surprised them with their own permanent plaques in the ‘Crunch of Fame’ floor. Seeing the names of Vill, CJ, Shaamal, Laura, Chell and Taylan embedded in the restaurant is a special way to say thank you.” Same chicken, new digs Pappa Flock’s preparation process remains the same as day one, with chicken tenderloins hand-breaded every morning and 2,500 lemons hand-squeezed in every restaurant daily. The current recipe is the result of four months of development and refinement, with the lemonade developed separately over six weeks using blind tastings and customer feedback. Eddie Cofie, Head Chef at Pappa Flock, said: “Real crunch takes real work. From hand-breading our chicken tenderloins every morning to hand-squeezing 2,500 lemons in every restaurant, every day, our approach hasn’t changed. “We lost count of the exact number of recipe iterations, which is a testament to how seriously we took the development process. In total, it took four months of relentless refinement because we refused to put our name on the product until it was perfect. “Every batch taught us something new about the seasoning, crunch, and balance of flavours until we finally achieved the right result. Our lemonade was developed shortly after. We adjusted the recipe multiple times over six weeks, using blind tastings and customer feedback to help us land on the freshly-squeezed lemonade on the menu today.” To mark the reopening, Pappa Flock is offering 50% off the entire menu on April 17 only. NRL figures and podcast hosts Willie Mason and Justin Horo will be on-site between 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm. Korbel added: “We wanted to add a special feature to the O.G. location that delivers on our commitment to create the best chicken tender experience, every single time. With the new ‘Flavour Up’ station, Flockers can layer up every dish with their favourite pickles and sauces, completely on the house.” The full menu is available, including Flock Boxes, handcrafted sandwiches, loaded wraps, house-made lemonade and the signature sauce. Pappa Flock Parramatta is located at 310 Church St, Parramatta NSW 2150. Source: This is Human Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.