ONE of the North East’s leading tearooms has joined forces with a multi award-winning pâtissier, in a unique collaboration.
Let There Be Crumbs, at Sunderland’s The Roker Hotel, has partnered with Andrew Blas – former Executive Pastry Chef at London’s Hotel Café Royal and captain of the UK Pastry World Cup team 2017 – in his first solo venture, Proper Patisserie.
And, from 29 May, Andrew’s exclusive range of hand crafted cakes will be available alongside Let There Be Crumbs’ new menu of breakfasts, sandwiches and ice creams.
Andrew, originally from Roker and now based at Houghton-le-Spring, is one of the UK’s most highly skilled and regarded pastry chefs.
He trained under Benoit Blin – judge on TV’s Bake Off: Crème de la Crème and Chef Pâtissier at Raymond Blanc’s two Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, at Oxfordshire – before later in his career taking the reins at Hotel Café Royal.
Andrew is an accomplished chocolatier, a Hotel Olympia silver medal winner and was the first person to co-brand chocolate with the luxury brand Valhrona.
He has also presented pastry master classes at the BBC’s Good Food Cakes and Bakes Show and worked closely with Salon du Chocolat in London.
His collaboration with The Roker’s Let There Be Crumbs – owned by Tavistock Hospitality – marks his return to the region and the launch of his own brand Proper Patisserie.
As part of the collaboration he will be creating two signature cakes for Let There Be Crumbs; a chocolate cake, featuring a double chocolate ganache and a lemon and lime opera cake, made of fine layers of sponge and given a mirror-finish glaze.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Andrew Blas and Proper Patisserie,” said Tavistock Hospitality’s operations director, Jonathan Graham.
“We have built our reputation by championing local produce and suppliers, such as Ciccarelli, Northumberland, for gelato and Rington’s for tea and coffee, so it’s great to be getting a local master pâtissier on board, particularly one with such an impeccable pedigree.”
Andrew, whose work has taken him around the world – latterly as Corporate Executive Pastry Chef for USA-based Seabourn Cruise Line, where he worked alongside chef Thomas Keller – said he is looking forward to showcasing Proper Patisserie in his home town.
“The Roker is without a doubt Sunderland’s best loved venue,” he said. “Let There Be Crumbs has a superb reputation for quality and I know my pâtisserie will sit beautifully alongside its menu.”