Bonjour! Or rather, hello—I find myself saying both these days. I’m Stephanie, 44 years old, a pastry chef, and a mother of two lively boys who keep me on my toes just as much as the ovens in my bakery do.
I was born in the gentle countryside just outside of Paris, where mornings often began with the sweet scent of warm brioche wafting from our neighbors’ kitchens, and afternoons were spent in my mother’s bustling kitchen. My parents are both from Portugal, and our home was always a vibrant blend of French and Portuguese traditions—imagine custardy pastéis de nata nestled next to a flaky tarte Tatin, or a Sunday table with both crusty baguettes and Portuguese sweet bread. Food wasn’t just sustenance in our home—it was love, it was art, it was memory.
From a young age, I was enchanted by the world of patisserie. The precision, the creativity, the pure joy on someone’s face when they bite into something you’ve crafted—there’s nothing like it. I trained in several patisseries in Paris, learning from seasoned chefs who taught me not just recipes, but the respect for each ingredient and the patience required to perfect each technique. But always, in the back of my mind, was a dream: to one day open my own little bakery where I could marry my French training with the rich, rustic flavors of my Portuguese heritage.
Eighteen years ago, that dream took me to London. My husband and I packed up our lives and crossed the Channel. London’s energy, diversity, and love for all things culinary felt like the perfect place to start anew. It wasn’t easy—there were long nights, early mornings, and a fair share of failures along the way (I still remember the batch of éclairs that refused to puff properly the night before my first big event!). But little by little, I built my bakery—a cozy spot where locals now come for buttery croissants, silky mousses, crisp Portuguese tarts, and the occasional experimental fusion of the two.
As a mother, I’m passionate about making baking accessible. I’ve taught my boys to whisk and fold, and I want others—especially home cooks and beginners—to feel that same sense of joy and accomplishment. You don’t need fancy equipment or years of training to create beautiful pastries. You just need a little guidance, a pinch of patience, and a generous sprinkle of love.
Through my recipes and stories, I hope to inspire fellow patisserie lovers to roll up their sleeves and dive in. Mistakes will happen—they still happen to me!—but that’s part of the journey. And trust me, nothing beats the smell of fresh pastry filling your home or the smile on a loved one’s face when they taste your creation.
So welcome to my world of flour-dusted counters and sugar-dusted dreams. I’m so happy you’re here.