Maxine Schekter is part of a well-known Wellington food family. Her parents owned Schekter's Deli, famous for its biltong and Reuben sandwiches-some of the best in the city. The bakery in Petone was always heaving and became a must-visit for many Wellingtonians. The family has since downsized and now operates from Johnsonville, as Petone had simply become too busy.
Her husband joked that one of the reasons he married her was because of her family's famous sandwiches. Maxine grew up in the shop, working front of house and joining her dad on restaurant drop-offs. She describes herself as accident-prone, and it took her mum some time to teach her how to bake-an interesting fact considering how precise her work is today.
A French-trained pastry chef, Maxine Schekter has spent the past 11 years honing her craft in some of the world's top kitchens-including Gâteaux Thoumieux in Paris, The Fat Duck and Sketch in London, and Logan Brown in Wellington. In 2019, she founded Sugar Flour Pastry School, which she continues to run from her base in Wellington, New Zealand.
She trained as a pastry chef at 16, moved to Paris at 19 to work, and later worked in London under English celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck. There, she worked 18-hour days, six days a week, for a year before deciding it was time for a change.
In addition to teaching, Maxine runs three to four pop-ups each year where she sells her baked goods. A Mother's Day event is coming up, where she'll be teaching people to make treats inspired by her mum and mother-in-law.
Schekter is also now a published author. Her new book, Patisserie Made Simple, features recipes that can all be made in a single tin and aims to demystify the challenges of baking for everyday people.
Schekter speaks to Kara Rickard and Mark Williams On The Air this ANZAC Day, and tells the pair about the trans-Tasman rivalry behind the lamington. Or-should it, in fact, be called a Wellington?
Maxine Schekter's lamington-inspired gateaux, consisting of coconut cake, raspberry compote, mousse, and coconut ganache. Photo: Supplied
