A local Altrincham woman who was taught how to cook by her Jamaican grandmother has launched a Caribbean bakery in Altrincham town centre.
Jenna Walker, 36, has launched Jenna Patties Co in the former Bumkins childrenswear unit on Moss Lane.
The former Blessed Thomas Holford school pupil says she was inspired to launch Jenna because she felt the 'premium' side of Caribbean food was not represented elsewhere.
The new bakery sells patties - a Jamaican pie with a minced or ground meat and spice filling - as well as breads and cakes.
All products are baked by hand in the downstairs kitchen by Jenna and her two part-time assistants.
"I learnt by watching my nanna cook after school," said Jenna. "She's from Jamaica and came to the UK in her early 20s. She'd teach me how to cook, often on wood and in a clay oven in the garden."
Jenna originally ran a successful interior design business but was forced to close it during lockdown.
"I just started baking to keep myself busy," she said. "Then I outsourced some products to MOST Bakery and Bernie's Canteen, and then made kofta patties for So Marrakesh which did really well."
The "colonial" vibe inside Jenna's bakery (click to expand)
Encouraged by that success, Jenna saved up to afford to take on her own shop, which opened last month.
"We did a lot of market research, speaking to over 100 people in Sale, Altrincham and Stretford, and Altrincham had the best response for premium Caribbean goods. I know people are very well-travelled and diverse here."
Jenna's previous career is evident from the stunning interior inside the shop, with Jenna calling it a "colonial, modern, minimal" vibe, and there's a selection of her own homeware range for sale too.
Jenna says the shop sold out every day for the first three weeks in business, and she's been "really pleased" with the reception she's had.
It's just reward for the hard work she is putting it - Jenna often arrives at 4.30am and puts in several hours of hard baking before the shop actually opens at 11.
"Normally I prep the fillings in the evening, but all the dough is made in the morning so that it's fresh. Nothing's that got flour in it will be prepared the night before, it will always be on that day, and that's how we get it as fresh as possible."
The most popular items so far are the lamb or cheesy beef patties, and she uses local suppliers - such as Altrincham Market and Mani's butchers on Moss Lane - for her meat, vegetables and spices.
The bakery also sells authentic baked goods like banana bread, hard dough bread (plaited and regular), rum cake and bulla cake, and it stocks Marley Coffee, the ethical coffee company founded by Bob Marley’s son Roha.
Jenna is hoping to establish her eponymous bakery as a Caribbean version of successful Cotswolds farm shop Daylesford, bringing out the premium side of the region's food.
"My family have been very successful in what they have done and I'm used to the premium side of Jamaica and the Caribbean," she added.
"I thought there wasn't anywhere that showed that in the UK, it's all Caribbean shacks and street food. So I thought I would try and show what I know of the Caribbean.
"Come down, give it a try, it would be nice to meet you!"
Jenna Patties Co, 11 Moss Lane, Altrincham WA14 1BA. Follow @jennapattiesco on Instagram. It's open every day except Saturday and Monday
