A new artisan patisserie has officially opened its doors in Altrincham town centre.
Founded by husband-and-wife team Farah Bioche and Wissam Jedar, Grué Patisserie brings a refined French-Belgian influence to the town’s food scene.
Located on Stamford Street, it specialises in high-end desserts made entirely from scratch using raw, unprocessed ingredients.
The name Grué, which refers to cocoa nibs in the early stages of chocolate production, reflects the shop's commitment to avoiding pre-made bases.
"The meaning of it is basically that we work only with raw ingredients," Farah tells us. "I don’t use any processed primary ingredients. Everything you can see here is basically from our hands - the caramel, everything. We don't use any bases."
The opening marks a dramatic career shift for Farah, who previously worked as a business intelligence analyst for the fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing.
After experiencing corporate burnout two years ago, she decided to turn her lifelong passion for baking into a professional venture.
"My husband told me, ‘You can do stuff with your hands... I can manage the business side.’ So I just went to the kitchen from 6am to 11pm and just created stuff. I feel happy with it."
The launch has come at an already significant time for the family, with daughter Dalia arriving in December.
Farah returned to the kitchen to prepare for the opening just eight days after giving birth, and eight-week-old Dalia is a familiar sight in the shop.
Despite the gruelling schedule, Farah describes baking as a lifelong "love language" that began in childhood.
"It was my passion since I was a child. I started with my mom. It’s a basic story, but baking is just like sharing," she says. "In high school, I started giving cakes to my classmates and then I started to sell them. They were very ugly cakes at that time, but people were encouraging me, so I just carried on."
Some of Grué's other creations
Originally from Belgium, the couple aims to introduce a more communal, celebratory approach to dessert culture in Altrincham, moving away from the "on-the-go" nature of British snacking.
"I have been educated with fancy dinners, a lot of people around the table, and when it’s time for dessert, we all enjoy it. It’s like a proper moment of the dinner," Farah explains.
"I want to educate people - don’t eat it like that waiting for the bus. Don’t do it in front of me because it takes me ages to do it! Gather your family and be happy with it.
"I feel they have a soul, these creations, because we put our heart in it."
The menu at Grué features a sophisticated range of flavours including Noisette entremets, pistachio and orange blossom tarts, beautifully artistic passion fruit and peanut entremets, Basque cheesecakes and French-style cookies.
