Dessert Masters Winner John Demetrios Opens His First Melbourne Café

There’s zero ego when it comes to John Demetrios – the 2024 Dessert Masters winner who’s earnt some serious Michelin-star cred overseas while garnering skills in pastry-making magic.

A few years ago, he and wife Martina dreamt of opening a café. A few days ago, the couple opened the doors (a low-key, soft-opening for passersby, family and friends) of Butter Days Bakery in the bustling, old-school Glenferrie Road, Malvern shopping strip.

That first morning, he sold out of everything he’d made – about 400 delectable baked goods – in just two hours.

‘It was a little bit overwhelming. We got an abundance of support from the locals who just kept coming through the doors. Didn’t expect to run out of products so quickly.”

There’s a large glass cabinet filled with familiar favourites (John loves a vanilla slice), flaky, tasty surprises and his signature – the Sunshine Bun - essentially a danish-style treat made with heaps of butter and malt extract, filled with lemon-cinnamon custard.

Brown Butter Bickies, made with browned, cultured butter and silky, fresh fruit custard centres, are also stocked high.

“There are no rules and we’ll use that to our advantage. We go with flavour over aesthetics, at every point,” John says.

“We’re not just unnecessarily adding things on top, we’re more focusing on getting rich flavours that hopefully people want to come back for.”

Savoury bites also feature, with freshly baked sourdough buns lathered in salted butter and comté cheese.

Soft potato pretzel bun piled with creamy egg salad, hot mustard, pastrami and pickled green peppers are set for an appearance.

And there are plans for 48 hour fermented pizza dough served in slices topped with nduja, ricotta and spicy honey.

There’s Allpress coffee and a grab ‘n’ go vibe. Tall shelves are stocked with pantry stables like Pepe Saya butter, Karma Cola, Long Paddock cheese and Chooks at the Rooke eggs from South West Victoria.

It’s a bright, cheery space with a large, pale timber communal table that takes pride of place, with plans to add outdoor seating.

During his restaurant years (including Vue De Monde and two-Michelin-starred Oaxen Krog in Stockholm), John was drawn to the sweet stuff.

He says at the time there was no realisation he’d been so inspired by all the bakeries in different countries.

“But now it’s all coming into play.”

“I think it’s a great way to understand a city, to look at where the locals go – coffee shops, bakeries, public spaces.”

Butter Days Bakery is located at 209 Glenferrie Road, Malvern. While there are no set opening hours just yet, we do know they'll be operating Thursday–Sunday. The official opening is today - Thursday October 9 - and you guessed it …. Butter Days Bakery sold out in a few hours …. again!

Image credit: Butter Days Bakery | Supplied