A Macclesfield pâtisserie have hired a new professional pastry chef to take their business to the next level.

Vic Campbell Cakes The Pâtisserie was opened by Macclesfield self-taught baker Victoria Campbell earlier in the year.

Now, she has hired Macclesfield resident Leyla Peaquin, who has been trained as an expert pastry chef in France and Italy.

Leyla is even half-Italian herself, with her other parent being from Bollington. New dishes Leyla's will bring include large custard-cakes, Rum babas and traditional Italian biscuits.

"I have keenly followed Vic's business since the opening", said Leyla.

"I was always keeping an eye out for job openings, so when I saw she was hiring I knew it was perfect for me.

"I was born and raised in the Italian Alps, close to the border with France.

"My mum is from Bollington, so it is great to be working as a pastry chef in Macclesfield.

"Me and my sister decided to move here two years ago.

"I had previously been to catering college with a diploma for five years, and I then did to a professional pastry course at the Italian School for Culinary Arts.

"As part of that, I went to Paris for four months and learned from some of the world's best pastry chefs. I then worked as a pastry chef in Italy for two years before coming to Macc."

Other complex cakes that Leyla will be bringing to Vic's business include traditional French and Italian dishes opera cakes.

In the lead up to Christmas, they will also sell full cakes like Yule logs and pre-wrapped edible gifts that you can buy to wow the family over the festive season.

"As soon as Leyla applied, she got the job straight away," said Victoria.

"She is amazing at extremely skilled, high end cakes with great attention to detail.

"We have the exact same passionate mindset about how we want to take the business forward.

"Now that we have the workforce, we can provide mini pâtisserie items and cakes for weddings and other outside catering events.

"In general, we will be able to stock a broader range of daily cakes in our fridge and offer a lot more high-end [skilled] cakes.

"This will help us target the wedding market, and take the business to new heights.

"We've got to a point where I can't take the business to the next level on my own. I physically can't make more cakes.

"I do sell out most days and hate to leave people disappointed, so hopefully that will be a thing of the past as well with more volume.

"It is a win-win, as we can offer more and they are Leyla's favourite cakes to make.

"I couldn't take private orders before as I physically didn't have the time, so I am so grateful for Leyla's skills.

"But I haven't just employed someone to help me, the whole point of this is that Leyla and I are going to be working as a partnership on the same level. We are going to decide the daily rotational menu in our fridge together.

"I'm self-taught, Leyla is much more skilled than I am, so I am here to value her input equally."

It is the next big step for the business following on from their opening in January, and the introduction of their afternoon tea offerings in the spring.

Leyla is now the fourth employee of the independent eatery.

"Baking has always been what I wanted to do", added Leyla.

"My mother always said to me 'always choose a job that you like, because you will never work a day in your life', and that is literally what pastry does to me.

"I love the challenge it gives me. Thank you Vic for giving me this opportunity."

Vic Campbell Cakes The Pâtisserie has seats across two floors, which includes a cosy basement in the Macclesfield 16th century building.

The introduction of Leyla also means that Vic can expand her opening times.

"The other plan is at the moment we're only open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday," said Victoria.

But we are going to be open on a Wednesday again thanks to Leyla's help because there is two of us.

"We have a lot more happening at the shop now, we have got wreath making events with Chestergate flower shop George in the Jungle as well.

"Thank you to all of our customers who have supported us in our first year.

Click here to follow Vic Campbell Cakes The Pâtisserie on Facebook.

See Also: New ethical gift shop opens on Macclesfield's Chestergate

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