An open concept kitchen shines a spotlight on every aspect of their inner workings, with most opting to keep their kitchens ‘behind closed doors’. On the contrary, this is something that the Just Teddy team are warmly welcoming, lifting the curtain on their trade secrets and allowing customers an behind-the-scenes look at how each of their delicately delicious treats are brought to life. “Our vision when we opened Just Teddy was to bring our collective passion to life, made visible through our creations. We have always wanted to showcase the passion and curated attention to detail that goes into every aspect of our business,” explains Jeff Zaki, owner of Just Teddy. By incorporating an open concept kitchen in a way rarely seen before on the local patisserie scene, Just Teddy are on the cutting edge of luxe ‘cakery’ incorporating customer interaction.

Jeff sheds some light on the inspiration behind this latest addition: “It goes without saying that the C-19 pandemic has forced us all to re-assess and re-evaluate what we do, not only in our offering and the way in which we present it to our customers but ensuring that we have held true to our core reason for opening the store: to deliver a gastronomic-experience through all of our dishes.” It is through this exciting addition that the Just Teddy team will be able to expand on their product offering while including the customer in every step of the journey. This has been pivotal in shaping the store today and is seen in the launch of their online store which means loyal customers can still enjoy luxury patisserie in the comfort of their homes. “When we launched Just Teddy, our focus was clear: we wanted to play it somewhat safe by allowing our customers to gently guide us in refining what we deliver. If our background in the food market environment has taught us anything, it is that customers want new, exciting and different products. This has helped us gauge their interest and keep our brand inspired.”

After the store’s massively successful opening in 2019, Just Teddy have gone from strength to strength with what started as a Patisserie and light meal option quickly evolving into a fully-fledged European style café with a high expectation for Middle Eastern flavoured and French inspired dishes – a formidable combination. Every detail of the store and restaurant has been considered, from the white cherry blossom wonderland to the chic ‘giftbag’ style take-away packaging. The nod to High Tea inspired luxury, coupled with a hint of Continental flair ensures you are transported to the high streets of Europe, in the heart of Hyde Park.

The Maison du Petit Four team – led by Head Baker, Teddy who was a BBC Great South African Bake-Off finalist – encompasses the ins and out of a family-run business seamlessly. Teddy’s wife Natasha is the ‘glue’ that keeps the family focused and ensures that business behind-the-scenes is taken care of, daughter Jordyne takes on the role of Head Pâtissier; and son Jeff is the ‘Bread Narco’ leading the kitchen team. Their undeniable family bond can be seen and tasted on every plate.

Whether you’re in the mood for a Croque Monsieur, or an extravagant three-tiered High Tea in style, Just Teddy never ceases to over deliver and overwhelm with flavour, class and passion evident in every morsel.

Maison du Petit Four is located alongside the existing Just Teddy store. Jeff has been hinting at the possibility of launching Masterclass baking and breadmaking workshops soon, so watch this space…

Just Teddy Fine Boulangerie & Patisserie are open Monday to Saturday 7:30am to 18:00pm, and Sundays to 17.00pm. For catering and custom cake orders, visit Just Teddy at Hyde Park Corner, call 010 203 9038 or shop online at www.JustTeddy.shop