A globe trotting pastry chef who returned home to launch a business in her native North East has opened the doors on her own patisserie
Emma Carlton began her career as a classically-trained pastry chef in Newcastle but left the area 21 years ago to make her name in the culinary world.
She spent many years in Jersey and the Netherlands while also presenting shows and events on the BBC alongside running Sweet Inspirations, a company specialising in puddings, pastries and artisan breads for restaurants, upmarket shops and supermarket chains.
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Two years ago Ms Carlton, who is originally from Lanchester, County Durham, moved back to the region and started working on plans to open in the city centre.
However, after not settling on a suitable site in the heart of Newcastle, she switched strategies and has now opened a new cake and pudding parlour – Sweet Patisserie – in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside.
She says opening during the Covid-19 pandemic has proved challenging, but that she is now attracting a regular following of locals, day trippers and people working from home seeking treats to enjoy from their dining table desks.
Sweet Patisserie, which sells everything from homemade jams, Caneles de Bordeaux and Percy Warmer samovar tea cake to brioche bangers – a bestselling twist on the sausage roll – and brownies, is also exploring delivery options and click and collect, to make it easy for sweet-toothed fans to get access to her cakes throughout the pandemic.
Ms Carlton said: “We picked the street because it was voted the best independent shopping street by Condé Nast a few years ago for its community vibrancy.
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“I had invested about 18 months into trying to get into Newcastle city centre but this is a better fit because it’s about the independent vibrancy and we want to be part of that.
“Park Avenue is also well known because of its mix of shops and people have been absolutely lovely, and very welcoming, wishing us the best.
“There is strength in numbers in independent business too - we are supporting each other through a testing time. Everyone is in the same boat whether you have been here for 40 years or three weeks and no one is immune so it’s about building relationships with others.”
With the North East currently under Tier 2 restrictions to stop the spread of coronavirus, Ms Carlton’s audience is predominantly a local one, with residents living nearby coming in to discover her treats.
Having opened just three weeks ago, regulars include people working from home in search of a lunchtime pick me up but she is also welcoming customers from further afield from Newcastle city centre, Gosforth and Durham at weekends.
To reach out to an audience further away from North Tyneside she is exploring options for delivery, as well as a click and collect system.
She added: “This is really three and a half to four years of work to get to this point – and it took 10 months to get the doors open because of delay after delay.
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“We stuck our toe in the water with trepidation because we are different, making and selling cakes using traditional, often secret recipes, which some people have said take them back years.
“But going on the feedback we’ve had it’s been absolutely great – I could not have wished for more.”
Sweet Patisserie at 168 Park View, Whitley Bay, is open from 9am to 3pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays and from 8.30am to 4pm on Fridays and Saturdays.