High Street Memories: Darren Purchese on Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

Celebrated pastry chef Darren Purchese worked at London’s Savoy Hotel before moving to Australia in the early 2000s, where he worked as a pastry chef at Vue De Monde in Melbourne and Bennelong in Sydney.   

After meeting his wife Cath Claringbold in 2004, the British chef moved into her apartment on Canterbury Road St Kilda – the sea change setting him on his new culinary path. 

Fitzroy Street, St Kilda became his local; Purchese lived next door to chef and publican Iain Hewitson who ran Tolarno until 2006 with Ruth Allen, while Barney Allen’s – a cool bar next door was a peak institution of the time. 

Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. Picture: realestate.com.au

Purchese found everything he needed on this high street – from a loved bakery, his favourite restaurant and live music at The Prince Band Room.  

It’s the era when Heath Ledger, an emerging actor, would order his coffee at the Grocery Bar, and Nick Cave and Warren Ellis would do media interviews outside Tolarno without a concern of being mobbed by fans.  

More walks down memory lane:

• Collette Dinnigan on William Street, Paddington
• John Safran on Carlise Street, Balaclava 
• Brooke Pitt on Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento

Before Purchese took the reins as head pastry chef at Vue De Monde in 2005, he did a few months at the iconic One Fitzroy Street; a corner heritage building that featured a restaurant where he made the pastries. 

“I had heard about St Kilda, and was pleased that I landed in the area with Cath,” recalls Darren Purchese.   

“It was really vibrant in 2004-2005; with loads of energy – from the bustling restaurants to cafes and live music it was where everybody wanted to be,” says Purchese.  

“Alternative culture was big; grunge was cool and the food was prominent on the street at that time. The close proximity to the beach was a massive win for me too,” he adds. 

Darren Purchese. Picture: Network 10

From having a drink at Barney’s, to regular take-away pizza at Topolino’s to weekly dinners at Di Stasio, the strip represents an era of Melbourne that Purchese still craves.   

“The first restaurant my wife Cath took me to was Di Stasio. It was the best experience and we ended up going back regularly,” he says.  

“We always had the same table, and Ronnie and Mallory [Wall] would treat us like royalty. It was a fantastic vibe from the moment you walked in, and the waiters in white jackets reeling off the specials was something we looked forward to,” says Purchese.   

Di Stasio became a tradition and where he’d go with Cath for New Year’s Day celebrations.  

Purchese, who is now a contestant on the new season of Dessert Masters on Network 10, also went on to open his own retail store with his wife at the top end of Chapel Street back in 2011.  

Their bricks and mortar presence proved a great learning curve in business – and after 12 years, they called it quits to focus on his online cooking business studiokitchen.com.au. 

Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. Picture: realestate.com.au

Purchese continues to do consultancy work, and writes cookbooks – with some sweet and savoury dishes a nod to those he loved to eat at Di Stasio back in the day (he repurposed their cheese oysters with Di Stasio’s permission).   

Joining Dessert Masters as a contestant was considered risky by some, but Purchese was up for the challenge. 

“I saw it as a chance to cook whatever I wanted for the first time in MasterChef history – usually I have been engaged to create something that fits a brief or theme. This time I was like I have free reign,” he says. 

“It was a lot harder than I thought because I hadn’t cooked in high pressured kitchens for a long time, but it’s been lots of fun,” he says.  

Earliest memories

I landed on Fitzroy Street at right time – it was truly a moment in time when the strip was really thriving. I loved nothing more than to eat lunch at Di Stasio -to sit down with a glass of bubbles on arrival, eat warm bread from Baker D. Chirico up the road and cold butter – it was a perfect start. We always ordered cheesy oysters; baked with horseradish, lemon and cheese on top. We ordered duck and we’d share crab linguini with chili. It was always no to dessert we’re too full, but got a slice of the torte di vaniglia. I loved it so much I recreated that torte for one of my cookbooks. The site of Di Stasio in St Kilda conjured a romantic feel and you can’t beat that. I long to go back to those days.  

Cafe Di Stasio is a Fitzroy Street institution. Picture: News Corp Australia

First job on the strip

I took a temporary job at One Fitzroy Street – an amazing property that overlooks the sea. They had a cool restaurant with a party vibe and I worked on desserts. I was there for a few months and it was the job right before I went to Vue De Monde. 

Late night snacks

After working big hours at Vue De Monde, Cath would pick me up after work. Our favourite thing to do was get a pizza from Topolino’s and take it home.  

Sticky carpet of the past

 We always went to The Prince Band Room – it didn’t matter who was playing. The history and atmosphere of St Kilda always drew me in – you could meet anyone on Fitzroy Street. I am a bit forlorn sometimes, and would like to go back to those carefree days. You could bump into high powered businessmen to celebrities and those who weren’t doing too well – the high street was always colourful.  

Outside the refurbished Prince of Wales Hotel, home to The Prince Band Room. Picture: Getty

Some favourites that are no longer

I loved Karen Martini’s Melbourne Wine Room at the George Hotel in Fitzroy Street.  We loved the vibe and food and the fact the building was on the corner; you could really immerse yourself into the comings and goings on the strip. If felt like home to me – a southside institution. When Baker D. Chirico opened on the street, I was a regular too who bought their amazing multi-seeded loaf.  Il Fornaio was another spot I went to around the corner on Acland Street. I also ate tapas dishes at Pelican.  

New kids on the block

Karen Martini is now back at a new location the Saint Hotel. It’s a full circle career moment for her. She cooks absolutely beautifully and every time we have been to dine, Karen and her husband Michael have been working. She’s one of the main reasons I continue to go back to this strip. It’s great food.

Scout House is a homeware store where I find cool props for food styling. When we shoot content for our site, we nip out for props and find lots we can layer up.  It’s a great store.  

Karen Martini opened Saint George earlier this year. Picture: Saint George/Instagram

Scout House homewares store in Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. Picture: Scout House/Instagram

A local character

For me it’s Ronnie Di Stasio and Mallory Wall. They’re an iconic duo that were the fabric of Fitzroy Street in this era of the 2000s. They have supported me on my career since I came to Melbourne, and always went above and beyond to look after me and Cath – the consummate hospitality professionals. 

Click here for more information on Dessert Masters.