Who we are
Bake with Maria was founded by keen baker Maria Mayerhofer. The company started out in Maria’s own kitchen where she taught groups of people how to make their own bread at home. The classes soon became very popular, and many of them would be booked out shortly after being posted online. The feedback from students has been so positive and the demand for classes was more than a small domestic kitchen could cope with. Feeling assured that there was a demand for baking classes in London, Maria took the next step and opened up The Baking Lab in the beginning of November, 2011. The Baking Lab features top of the range domestic appliances. It is important to the concept that everything that is taught in the Baking Lab can be replicated at home without fancy ovens or endless pieces of baking equipment.
Come and experience the Baking Lab and sign up for one of our many fun and insightful baking classes
Maria Mayerhofer – Baker & Owner
I’ve been baking ever since I was a little girl. I love spending time in my kitchen trying out new recipes and making up my own!
My big passion is home baked bread and cakes – no bread machines in my kitchen! I enjoy kneading bread, seeing the dough develop in my hands, and the baking highlight is taking the tray out of the oven with a steaming hot bread.
Besides the sheer enjoyment of baking your own bread and not having to rely on boring white bread from the supermarket, home baked bread also has a high nutritional value. So baking your own bread is not only fun and rewarding, but it adds to a healthier lifestyle.
Pino Ficara– Pastry chef
From an early age I was fascinated with food. From humble beginnings and kitchen chores to my first job with a local baker I was hooked. My passion has given me the opportunity to work and learn in restaurants around the world, from Milan to Manhattan, and it was whilst living in Paris I discovered teaching cookery could be so rewarding.
My philosophy in the kitchen is simple: I believe that technique, knowledge of classic recipes and respect for the ingredients are key to tasty and healthy preparations. My passion is to make everything from scratch using the best ingredients I can find; I still lack a wheat field and a cow but I’m working on it…
Pino has been teaching the secret of pastry making in Paris for the past 5 years to Parisians and foreigners alike. He brings a wealth of knowledge and professionalism to the Baking Lab and gives us the opportunity to expand our class repertoire to include amazing traditional French pastry.
Marie Pedersen – Creative Consultant
Marie Pedersen graduated from Central St Martins in 2002, with a degree in Product Design. She worked for several design agencies before setting up her own print making business in East London. She prints posters and textiles with her own designs or by commission, from her silkscreen studio. Marie designed the Bake With Maria logo and screen-printed the tote bags. She also runs crochet and knitting workshops.
Website: www.mariepedersen.me
