Drawing on their German heritage, and a family love for cooking and baking, sisters Maria and Eva Konecsny are set to spice things up in Melbourne’s culinary scene with the opening of their spice house – Gewürzhaus.
Growing up in both the city and the country, in Australia and Germany, Maria says it was the many tea-shops in Germany – with their self-scoop concept and range of house blends – that first inspired them to create a similar place devoted to herbs and spices.
After separate educations in agricultural economics and urban planning and design, the girls worked on several home renovation projects together, before spending about six months in the kitchen, cooking and blending their mixes.
“We source all the whole things from around the world, then freshly grind them in the shop,” Maria says.
“There’s very few companies that do it in Australia, but it makes a big difference to the quality because with most spices, by the time it actually gets to the shelf, through customs and everything else, are probably 3 to 6 months old.”
Their expanding range – which now stocks close to 400 different blends including rare black lava sea salt and a tantalising mulled wine mix – is also complimented by a select supply of homewares including Jesse Steele aprons and Riess enamelware.
“We wanted to make the whole place feel like a kitchen – very homely,” Maria says.
“A lot of the old things that we have in our own kitchen – like the enamelwear -we have still got from our grandmother. They are things we grew up with and that you can’t get elsewhere.”
Already wholesaling to a few cafes around Melbourne, the girls are keen to open another location as soon as possible, and share their passion with as many people as they can.
Gewürzhaus
gewurzhaus.com.au
342 Lygon Street, Carlton VIC
+61 3 9023 1028
Photography by Laine Hill