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LONDON LOVES GAIL’S IT ALL STARTED WITH BREAD. NOW GAIL’S AND ITS BAKERS HAVE CONQUERED THE HEARTS (AND STOMACHS) OF CUSTOMERS ALL OVER LONDON. SWEET SPOON MET BREAD-LOVER ROY LEVY TO GET TO KNOW WHY WORDS ANGELICA CARRARA PHOTOS courtesy of Gail’s and Reyhaan Day at Gerber PR
water, yeast and salt... the simplest ingredients ever, but also the essentials for making classic breads at The Bread Factory, with an eventual result of 13 bakery cafes, one restaurant with dishes inspired by the bread oven, presence in over 50 branches of Waitrose, and the Harvey Nichols’ food court and Ocado. In the early 1990s Gail Stephens started a company called Gail Force to provide London’s top chefs with the bread she collected every morning from bakeries all over the city. The idea to make her own outstanding, innovative craft bread for the most exigent palates led to her putting together a small team of bakers, to make what would become the bread of choice for top London chefs. It all started with some FLour,
After building one of the most respected craft bakeries in the city, Gail realised that there were still opportunities for her business to grow even further. In 2004 she met Ran Avidan and Tom Molnar, the two businessmen behind the Gail’s Bakery chain. After falling in love with the Gail’s story and seeing its potential, they were ready to invest in the bakery world, and set to the task of turning bread into something luxurious. After many hours, days and months ‘baking’ the idea, the Gail’s concept came to life. Since then, the Gail’s bakery has produced amazing artisanal breads, pastries and cakes that are no longer just for the best restaurants and hotels in London, but are now available to the general public.
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