Our Makers Series continues, from blooms to pastries. Next in our series we chatted with Petra Galler, a local Grey Lynn Pastry Chef bringing all the delicious treats.
Tell us a little about yourself and your craft
I’ve been a chef for over 15 years here in Auckland and in Melbourne. Food has always been very special to me. Growing up, dinner was the highlight of the day; my father is a fabulous cook and every night it was always a bit of a production! It has always been my big passion although I didn’t realise for some time that I could turn it into a viable career for myself. After working in many a restaurant kitchen, I had my first cookbook published in 2023 and soon after went out on my own with my business Butter Butter.
In 2025 I joined my business partners in opening Mother, a bakery and wine bar in Grey Lynn which has been a major career milestone for me. A lot of hard work and unbelievably rewarding; seeing hordes of people queue up for the food week after week doesn’t get old!
As a chef, it’s a real privilege to use food as a way to connect people. Cooking is an act of generosity — taking ingredients, knowledge and creativity and turning them into something that can be shared. A dish can spark a memory, introduce someone to a new culture, bring strangers together around a table, or simply make someone’s day a little better. For me, that is one of the most meaningful things about food: it goes beyond what is on the plate. It creates moments, conversation and a sense of belonging. You’re not just feeding people; you are creating opportunities for people to come together.
Is there anything you hope your children learn from watching you work?
I hope Jasper learns the value of hard work, having strong values and taking pride in what you put out into the world. I want him to see that doing something well takes commitment, care and a willingness to keep showing up, even on the inevitable hard days.
But most importantly, I hope he finds something he has a real fire for — something that makes him excited, that brings a real joy and depth to his life, and that gives him a genuine sense of pride in what he has created.
What are you noticing more since becoming a mother?
How selfishly I lived before Jasper — which is slightly embarrassing to admit! You don’t realise how much of your life revolves around yourself until suddenly there’s this tiny person who completely changes your perspective. The amount of love you can feel for such a small creature is genuinely overwhelming, and it’s made me much more aware of what actually matters. Things that once felt important suddenly seem pretty insignificant, and the little things — being together, having a healthy baby, a quiet morning — feel like a much bigger deal.
What is your favourite thing to bake?
This changes week by week if I’m honest; I tend to hyper fixate on certain recipes for a while before never wanting to see them again! While the weather was so grim I’ve been all about breads and warm puddings; challah is always a household staple, also I’m really having a moment with jalapeño cornbread.
Pudding wise, a self saucing chocolate and tahini number is on heavy rotation!