A new patisserie has opened its doors in Cardiff, serving some mouth-watering cakes, gateaux and more. Chapter 22 Patisserie quietly opened earlier this year in Llandaff North but after a big launch it's now serving over-the-counter treats as well as the bespoke cakes that chef Craig Marc has been making for the past few months.
Craig made his career as the chef to the Wales youth football teams and to Queens Park Rangers FC - but after growing up in Llandaff North, he's returned home to open his patisserie. The name Chapter 22 comes from the new chapter Craig is hoping to enter in the year 2022, and he's off to a flying start.
In the patisserie, he serves up a range of petit gateaux, macarons, cakes, brownies, doughnuts, macarons and more. All of it is visually stunning and very photogenic - and business, so far, is booming.
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Craig said: "It’s been amazing, it’s been ridiculous. I think it’s what the village were waiting for to be honest - I’ve just been non-stop and everything’s been selling out.
"I'm doing a mix of high-end and mid-range stuff to try and appeal to everyone who walks past rather than just one price range or a limited selection. I’m still doing bespoke cakes as well but I can’t take as many now."
After a grand opening earlier in November, Chapter 22 is in full flow. Craig said the support from the local area has been fantastic: "The response has been amazing. I posted on the local social media pages and the amount of support has been awesome."
Since Craig first returned to Llandaff North he's had old friends from school popping in to visit. He's also got an extremely loyal social media following, with more than 7,000 followers on Facebook and around 4,500 on Instagram.
Some of the mirror-glazed desserts are especially eye-catching, and Craig says they're "something I've wanted to do for months." He added: "They catch everyone's eye. It's nice to see that people can't resist!"
Earlier this year, Craig told WalesOnline why he decided to open the patisserie: "I’ve been a chef for 17 years, done some amazing things, and hit heights I never thought I’d hit. But I plateaued a bit, got a bit bored, and thought I needed a new challenge."
He added: "I started making cakes in lockdown – everyone went a bit crazy over it on Facebook and I was getting orders. It got to the point where I thought: ‘I need to take that risk and start my own venture.’
"So I did. Since I’ve opened up my new shop it feels like I’ve come back to my roots."
His career took him to Macedonia with the Wales teams and to West London with QPR - where he cooked for his idol Rio Ferdinand and made good friends with Joey Barton, who initially "didn't take well" to him.
Craig's keen to pivot his patisserie more towards the over-the-counter cakes and treats he's been selling recently, and away from the occasion cakes he's been making since turning to patisserie. He's also had contact from companies looking to strike up a deal for him to provide his cakes on a regular basis.
You can find Chapter 22 Patisserie at 111A Station Road, Cardiff CF14 2FD. The shop is open 8am-5pm, Monday to Saturday.
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