For this month’s The Press, we talk to baker and pastry chef Justine Kajtar, of Red Door Corner Store in Northcote. For Justine, her baking begins with grain, flavour and a respect for old-world technique. Her approach is thoughtful but unfussy; wholegrain galettes, savoury tarts rich with custard and herbs, and pastries that feel equally nourishing and indulgent.
At the café, Mount Zero Arbequina olive oil is a quiet staple.
The same oil features in the Olive Oil, Almond & Buckwheat Cake with Cara Cara Orange recipe she has kindly shared with us here. Justine's recipe is a reflection of her love of robust grains, balanced sweetness and ingredients that speak clearly for themselves. It’s baking grounded in craft, generosity and above all else, flavour.
Describe your cooking/baking style in three words.
Grain-forward, flavour-focussed, old-world.
Where’s the last place you dined out, and what did you order?
Restaurant: Scopri; Spaghetti alle Vongole
Cafe: Masses Bagels; trout with Zuni pickle on an everything bagel.
If you owned a restaurant that cooked only one dish, what would it be?
I am a baker/pastry chef, so I would say if I only served one product in a bakery I would serve a tart in many forms. A wholegrain galette pastry caramelised with sugar baked with poached fruit and finished with a quenelle of cultured cream, a traditional frangipane tart filled with almond cream and seasonal fruit, a savoury tart filled with a custardy egg filling, caramelised onion or leeks, cheese and soft herbs, along with a flan Parisien, heavily scented with vanilla bean and baked into a caramelised puff pastry, Tapissierie Patisserie-style.
Most underrated ingredient in the kitchen?
Salt. It enhances flavour, balances sweetness, sharpens acidity, and controls fermentation.
What’s your favourite dish on the menu at the moment?
Our hickory-smoked Ora salmon. We smoke the fish at the café in our hot smoker and it’s served on a house-made wholewheat crumpet with a crab mayo, soft herbs, and finger lime.
What do you cook at home when you can’t be bothered or after a big shift?
Even after a long day/week I will always make a salad with various vegetables, pickles/kraut, and add some kind of protein (boiled eggs, tinned sardines) with some avocado or quark and a mustardy vinaigrette. Even though I love baking I am also very health oriented.
What’s your favourite Mount Zero product and your favourite way to use it?
We predominantly use the Arbequina olive oil at the café for cooking, dressings and in most of our bakes. It’s such a versatile olive oil and can be used in a lot of sweet applications without being too overpowering.
Who’s your biggest culinary influence? Can be a writer, chef or loved one…anyone really!
Michael James (Tivoli Road & Urbanstead) has always been a hero of mine. Throughout my baking career, he has been so generous with his time and knowledge, often coming to the café to help me on projects, answering any questions I have and sharing his recipes and spreadsheets with me.
Quentin Berthonneau of Oji House has been another big influence of mine. He welcomed me into his first bakery when I had no experience and was the foundation of how I learned pastry/baking especially from a grain-forward perspective.
What recipe have you chosen to share with us and why?
An almond, buckwheat and olive oil cake, with Cara Cara orange and crème fraiche.
Do you play music in the kitchen? If so, what’s on high rotation at the moment?
At work I do, and lately I am obsessed with New Constellations. I listen to their album on repeat.
Interview by Hilary McNevin
