If you could see the inside of Nicky Cooper’s heart, it would look like Yoli’s bakery. Flour dusted fresh baked loaves, delicately layered pastries, mouth-melting combinations of dark chocolate & homemade custard. Savoury, woven twists and breads, gourmet pies – fresh herbs and cheeses infusing delicate aromas into artisan recipes.
The sounds of the background would be of fresh egg cracking gently into heavy rimmed ceramic bowls, the chopping of nuts and quality chocolate, hands brushing boards and surfaces with flour, all against the quiet whir of a dough mixer. Shapes pressed from flat dough, loaves rolled with firm gentleness.
Trained in Parisian traditions, Nicky’s love for artisan baking techniques is layered deep, and she pulls from the well of it on a daily basis. Her personal vision (pure and fresh, high quality ingredients, stone ground flour), coupled with a devotion to tradition and rustic precision (a handful, a pinch, a dollop) is at the heart of every Yoli’s recipe.
In her own words, “Each loaf lovingly handcrafted, each loaf unique…”
We are nothing without our staff – our wonderful Yoli’s family.
Next to our commitment to authentic artisan traditions, and our deep love of rustic Parisian baking – we believe whole-heartedly in bettering our community. We employ people from our area, in most cases with no skills, work experience or formal qualifications and we upskill them to become a pastry chefs, bakers, baristas, retailers, chefs, waiters and management positions. We link arms and bake through the night, sharing hours of laughter and comfort in the full-hearted silence of a bakers work-space.
From our very first day at the Litchi orchard we started with 2 staff and now boast a staff compliment of 50 plus staff across our stores.
Come in and say hello, grab a rustic baguette or a boutique roasted, ethically sourced coffee. We’d love to see you – all of us!