Carina La Delfa is interested in making “good fucking food”. The Lumos bakery owner worked as pastry chef at Heston Blumenthal’s restaurant Dinner by Heston for just under two years and opened her store last year.

At Lumos, La Delfa’s style is far removed from the conceptual cooking her former boss is known for. The pastry chef says she “loves simple flavours done well” and stresses that she’s not about “too-complicated flavour profiles that [mean] you need to read an essay beforehand to understand the dish”. In keeping with that philosophy, Lumos standouts include classic baguettes, hazelnut croissants and Danishes topped with seasonal fruit.

We took five minutes to find out where the pastry chef eats around town.

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What's your go-to for a quick takeaway?
I love Four Seasons Laksa. It’s so good for winter. We got it last night – it’s so creamy and full of flavour.

And for a drink and snacks?
I go to Siglo a lot in summer when I’m in the city. It's beautiful up there.

Where do you go if you’re looking for inspiration?
Monforte Viennoiserie. The way Giorgia [McAllister Forte] pairs flavours and how she presents her specials is magical. She’s so talented and her product is amazing.

Holy Sugar, too. We started a cake range at Lumos and I love the way Audrey [Allard] displays her cakes in the windows, it always looks beautiful and so inviting.

And my Instagram Explore Page, too!

Best comfort food?
Charcoal chicken and chips. Bird Box & Co. on McKinnon Road, McKinnon is the best. The chicken is so moist and soft, the salads are made fresh every day and the chips are to die for.

Where do you go for a big meal?
Kimchi Grandma in Carnegie will always be my favourite.

What's your go-to hangover food?
Spaghetti and meatballs with buttered bread. It’s carbs on carbs and Mum’s meatballs are heavenly.

Where can you find your favourite dessert or sweet treat in Melbourne?
I love gelato and I recently tried the Earl Grey and pistachio from Nuvoletta in Carnegie. It was beautiful, so smooth and delicate and the pistachios added great crunch and roundness.

What’s your bucket list restaurant?
Core by Clare Smyth in London. I was working in fine dining when it opened and I always admired her work from afar. It’s amazing.