An award-winning pastry chef is passing on her expertise through the opening of her own bakery school in North Tyneside. Classically-trained Emma Carlton, originally from Lanchester, County Durham, travelled the world to make her mark in the culinary world, spending many years in Jersey and the Netherlands.
She also presented shows and events on the BBC alongside running a company specialising in artisan breads, puddings and pastries – but the lure of home grew too strong. Ever since returning to the region in 2018, Emma has longed to launch her own bakery school.
From Sweet Patisserie to Bakery School
For five years, however, she focused her efforts on running her own foodie business – Sweet Patisserie by Emma Carlton, making and selling everything from homemade jams, Caneles de Bordeaux and Percy Warmer samovar tea cake to brioche bangers – a bestselling twist on the sausage roll. A popular addition to Sweet Patisserie were occasional masterclasses and workshops, but spaces were limited and often sold out.
Last year, Emma closed the doors on the patisserie shop in Whitley Bay’s Park View when the lease came to an end. But she has been busy behind the scenes, plotting the launch of her next exciting venture. While continuing to make bakes for click & collect from Royal Quays Community and Business Centre, and supplying other businesses, including the Afuera coffee pod in North Shields, she was developing her new business plan.
Revival of North Shields
This weekend Emma finally realises her dream, when she throws open the doors to Emma Carlton’s Bakery School in Saville Street, North Shields. The new bakery school will give those who missed out a chance to learn from Emma. She said: “North Shields is steeped in rich, industrial history, predominantly fish. There’s something very special about the culture and pride of the town, it’s equally down to earth and incredibly friendly. It’s going through something of a revival and it felt like the natural place for the bakery school's home. Having lived on an island for twenty plus years, I understood the importance of the waters, industry and heritage of North Shields.”
Classes will be held throughout the week, and patisserie will be available every Friday until it’s sold out, to showcase just some of the delights on offer within the school. People can pop in between 10am-3pm to purchase a lemon tart, a Whitley rogue or perhaps a gluten free, pistachio cake, and menus will vary according to the seasons.
Classes and Demonstrations
Demonstrations will also showcase other local producers, such as fish mongers and wine suppliers from the region. She said: “We offered baking workshops, demos, supper clubs and chef’s table from the previous Whitley Bay site and these sold out regularly. People loved the eating experiences, stories of producers, guest teachers and this proved so much in their popularity. Food is incredibly important to the North East and the patisserie space became a space of food education and social immersion. Whitley Bay was predominantly handmade patisserie, which was the main revenue of the business, savoury and sweet goods and award winning puddings.”
“Now I’m not managing a production kitchen anymore, it really frees me up more time to teach. North Shields’ main offering includes new workshops, group classes and demonstrations throughout the week. People will have the opportunity to learn directly with me, from simple bakes to the more challenging art of culinary patisserie – a simple sponge or pie, to a complicated mille feuille or macaron. Cake decorating is a hot topic too thanks to Bake Off and is by far the busiest class. Alternative dietary teaching such as gluten free and low sugar, will also become available later in the year. And as a product developer there is a wide range of skills I can pass onto the public.”
“People often believe they can’t make something or perhaps fear it will flop but baking should be enjoyable, so with time invested it usually means a happy skip out the door. It’s great to see people leave a class on a high, proud of their achievements ready to take home.”
Emma worked with the Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) & North Tyneside Business Forum to bring the bakery school to fruition, and the local authority also provided a signage improvement grant. The chef added that she hopes to have a soft launch opening today, Friday, August 14, ahead of this Saturday’s official opening. She added: “It’s been a lot of hard work for several months preparing the new school site on Saville St, however I’m excited for this new venture and really looking forward seeing people attend the workshops.”
