Rhodes invests dough in London bakery plan
Chef Paul Rhodes has announced plans to launch a bakery business based in south-east London. It will be the second business started by the former head chef of Chez Nico at Ninety in less than a year, following the establishment of his outside catering company, Paul & K, in May 2002.
The company will launch at the end of the month and be based in a 1,000sq ft unit in Surrey Quays. It will be called Dupond's Bakery - "it's the French equivalent of ‘Smith'," explained Rhodes.
Funding for the venture, which totals "around" £60,000, has been put up by Rhodes and his partner in the bakery, Alain Lacotte.
The two chefs met in the kitchens of Chez Nico. "It's completely our own money," said Rhodes. "We haven't gone to a bank, and we're very proud of that."
Lacotte trained as a baker with the late Lionel Poilâne, the French master baker generally considered the godfather of bread-making in recent years. He has also worked with chefs Sally Clarke and Paul Rankin.
Initially, the bakery will use seven or eight dough bases to produce three sizes of loaf.
Among the bread types to be offered will be walnut and raisin, rye and traditional white. The company aims to target the top end of the restaurant market.
