We talk to industry professionals about their experiences during the covid shutdown, how they have adapted to the new restrictions and their thoughts on the future of hospitality.

Kirsten Tibballs is a leading chocolatier and pastry chef as well as the founder of Savour Chocolate & Pattisserie School in Melbourne. We had a chat with Kirsten to find out her perspective on the lockdown and what she has been up to.

How have the restrictions impacted you?

I have had to temporarily close our hands-on classes and our storefront, but we are focusing on our online platforms and continuing dispatching online orders. Both our online classes and online retail are still going strong which we are thankful for.

How has your business adapted to the current climate?

We are very fortunate that our business model already had a strong digital presence prior to COVID-19. We have focused more on this and launched a new website a few weeks ago which makes navigating through our products and online classes easy. The Australian dollar has dropped so our international sales have risen.

What’s keeping you sane during this time?

I am still working full time but spending all my spare time at home with my family has been great. I usually travel a lot so staying at home more has been nice.

What is your go-to quarantine food and drink?

Like most people, I have been cooking more at home and spending more time on the meals that I am preparing. I have been doing a lot of yeast doughs and puff pastry. Up until recently, it has been homemade brioche hot cross buns.

What do you think the hospitality industry will look like post COVID19?

I think a lot of chefs and industry professionals will come back inspired with new concepts and ideas that they have now had the time to develop and process. In our industry it’s usually a challenge to find time for the development of new concepts.

Any online cooking classes/websites/social media we should be looking at right now?

Savour Online classes! I started the platform six years ago and I have added a new video to the library weekly, so we have over 330 video tutorials and something to suit all levels of expertise. Otherwise, a lot of companies and individuals are doing regular live demonstrations. Over on Instagram, @callebautchocolate are live streaming some fantastic demonstrations regularly.

If you are interested in Savour’s online classes specialising in chocolate and patisseries, head to Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School and check out their different packages available.

Follow Kirsten on Instagram: @kirstentibballs

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