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Kirsten Tibballs

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Kirsten Tibballs
Tibballs in 2016
Born
Leongatha, Victoria, Australia
Occupations
  • Pastry chef
  • chocolatier
SpouseMichael Louros
Children1

Kirsten Tibballs is an Australian pastry chef and chocolatier. Tibballs has represented Australia at world championships and as a judge for global competitions. In 2002 Tibballs founded Savour Chocolate and Patisserie School in Brunswick, Melbourne. Tibballs is the author of three cookbooks, a regular contributor to pastry publications and has featured on several television shows including MasterChef Australia. As one of the most followed female pastry chefs on Instagram, Tibballs is regularly referred to as the ‘Queen of Chocolate’ due to her contribution to the chocolate industry.[1]

Early life

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Tibballs was born in Leongatha, Victoria to parents Christine and Allan, and grew up in Pearcedale.[2] Tibballs always had an interest in pastry; baking and entering cake-making and pastry categories in the Dandenong Show at age 12. Tibballs started her apprenticeship at a small patisserie in Mornington. At 20, Tibballs joined the Sheraton Towers Hotel in Melbourne as a commis pastry chef.[3] Two years later, Tibballs won the National Australian Baking Scholarship Award, which saw Tibballs travel to work in Europe with pastry chefs in Brussels and Paris.

Career

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Tibballs is an ambassador for Bulla Family Dairy[4] and the sole global ambassador for Belgian chocolate brand Callebaut.

Savour Chocolate and Patisserie School

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In 2002, Tibballs founded Savour Chocolate and Patisserie School. Tibballs cited the local Australian market as "lagging" compared to the European market and so wanted to open an institution that offered the resources for Australian pastry chefs who could not afford to travel to Europe. The school teaches a variety of classes on chocolate and patisserie.[5]

In 2013, Kirsten Tibballs expanded the Savour Chocolate and Patisserie School by launching an online platform featuring video tutorials designed for a global audience.[6] By 2024, the Savour platform hosts a comprehensive library of over 550 online classes.

Savour Chocolate and Patisserie School has hosted numerous world renowned, industry-leading guest chefs who have conducted both hands-on and online classes.

Collaborations

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In 2023, Kirsten Tibballs partnered with Bulla Family Dairy to launch a Murray Street Ice Creamery range, inspired by her signature desserts.

Demonstrations

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Tibballs travels across Australia, showcasing her chocolate and patisserie skills through live demonstrations at industry events such as The Good Food & Wine Shows and the Cake Bake & Sweet Shows.

Cookbooks

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Kirsten Tibballs has authored three cookbooks. In 2012, she self-published Chocolate to Savour, which won the Best Photography Cookbook of 2012 award from Gourmand in the UK. In 2016, Tibballs released her second cookbook, Chocolate. In 2023, her third book, Chocolate All Day, was published.

Television appearances

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Tibballs has appeared on MasterChef Australia numerous times. She appeared in two episodes of Series 5, one episode of Series 7, and two episodes of Series 9 including the season finale where she presented her 'Trio of Fruits' and one episode of series 10.[7][8]

Tibballs has appeared several times on Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield, a Foxtel Lifestyle product hosted by Justine Schofield, a contestant from MasterChef Australia’s first season.[9]

In September 2023, Tibballs appeared in a third series of her cooking program, The Chocolate Queen, which airs on Foxtel and SBS Food in Australia.[10]

In 2023, Tibballs participated as a contestant alongside other esteemed pastry chefs and dessert creators in the inaugural season of Dessert Masters, a MasterChef spinoff.

The Chocolate Queen

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The Chocolate Queen, a show aimed at home bakers, features accessible recipes along with innovative chocolate tips and techniques. The series premiered in 2018 and was broadcast both in Australia and internationally. Its success led to four additional seasons and the show now broadcasted across 89 countries.

Competitions & Awards

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  • 1st in the World, 2004 World Pastry Team Championships, Las Vegas, USA[2]
  • Gold medal, Live Patisserie Competition, 2004 Pastry Olympics, Germany[2]
  • Tibballs served as the Head of the Jury for Taste at the 2022 World Chocolate Masters held in Paris[11]

Personal life

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Tibballs is married to her husband Michael and has a son, Charlie.[2]

Bibliography

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  • Tibballs, Kirsten (2012). Chocolate to Savour; delicious chocolate recipes. [United Kingdom]: KLT Consulting. ISBN 9781908202130.
  • Tibballs, Kirsten (2016). Chocolate: Luscious recipes and expert know-how for biscuits, cakes, sweet treats and desserts. Murdoch Books. ISBN 9781743366134.

References

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  1. ^ "The Queen of Chocolate, Kirsten Tibballs - Fine Food Australia". Finefoodaustralia.com.au. 17 February 2015. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d "Sweet success". Theweekylreview.com.au. 15 April 2011. Archived from the original on 31 July 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  3. ^ Bruton, Jodie (6 June 2017). "Master baker shares flair for sweet treats". Bordermail.com.au. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  4. ^ "Ambassador - Bulla Dairy Foods". Bullafoodservice.com.au. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Savour Chocolate & Patisserie School". Sogoodmagazine.com. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  6. ^ Business, Baking (1 December 2013). "Savour Launches Online Tutorials Via Google". Baking Business. Retrieved 23 September 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ "MasterChef's dessert buff Michelle meets Kirsten Tibballs - WSTale.com". Wstale.com. 21 May 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  8. ^ "Who won Masterchef 2017? Masterchef Australia Winner". Masterchefaustralia.tv. 24 July 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  9. ^ "Kirsten Tibballs - Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield". Everydaygourmet.tv. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  10. ^ Knox, David (2 November 2022). "2023 Upfronts: SBS Food, SBS VICELAND, SBS on Demand". TV Tonight. TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  11. ^ "Meet the jury 2022". Chocolate Academy™ World Chocolate Masters. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
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