Lots of people are fascinated by what we do. Clients always ask many questions about how we work, how it all comes together, how do we manage the business – being predominantly run from my home in Bexley..
When Hall of Cakes first started out – nearly 11 years ago now – I was so conscience in the beginning that my business was run from home. I saw my competitors – to my mind in bright lights – in London and thought I would never be able to compete with them. I didn’t think Hall of Cakes would ever look as glamorous or impressive without a ‘shop front’. I am proud to say that 10 years later, working for venues such as The Ritz and The Savoy, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Within the house we have a beautiful studio / office purely for the business. We also have a separate kitchen – away from the main family kitchen. Whilst we work in the family kitchen on a daily basis, to maintain a 5 start rating from the Environmental Health Agency we have a separate kitchen to store all equipment, utensils and ingredients. None of our equipment or utensils cross over with family life.
I think 10 years on, our portfolio speaks for itself. I think now that people can see the copious amounts of wedding cakes that we have designed and created and see that a glossy shop front isn’t required. Plus, with the benefit of social media now – who needs shop front? Well, of course, many business do but, with social media nowadays we have our shop front – actually a few shop fronts!
I am over the moon with these images from 3 Boys and Me Photography. Nina is a candid photographer, who captures real moments and real emotion. I absolutely love her work. She is renowned for her black and white imagery, but I love her bursts of colour too.
Nina did this shoot for us back in September. September was our busiest month this year and to be honest I nearly cancelled the slot I had booked with Nina. But, I didn’t and I am so glad I didn’t. The whole point of the shoot was to capture us when we are busy – cakes everywhere, tape measure round my neck (which I usually spend my of my time look for), kids homework book sprayed with icing sugar and the fridge in the background covered with our family memorabelia.
We may not have a glossy shop front but we do create and design amazing cakes. You may be confronted with a half naked 5 year old (dressed as a skeleton with a spider on her head, like this morning..) when collecting your daughters birthday cake… But, you will get a beautiful cake from a team with over 50 years’ experience in sugar craft, with an excellent reputation and a portfolio and that I am incredibly proud off. Oh, and, we don’t have to charge you the overheads of that glossy shopfront in London :)
Thank you Nina. Fantastic images as always x