As you walk towards Gerry’s Bakery there is an enticing and heart warming smell of bread, cumin, figs and roasted caraway seeds! Gerry makes good bread – it’s wholesome, unpretentious, very tasty, unique and genuine. The bakery/cafe is equally inviting – simple, welcoming and a place that draws people in. If you’ve been there you’ll most likely know what I mean and if not and you live near Walkley give it a try and see what you think…

What’s your story of getting into baking bread?

I’ve always cooked but I fancied making bread – I wasn’t very good though! A friend bought me some flour and I tried it but it was a disaster. I tried a year later and it was still a disaster…But after nine attempts I got a dough that was manageable and actually looked like a dough. Once I’d done that I couldn’t stop. I made bread for friends, neighbours and family. Meanwhile I had retired. After two years I got bored so I planned to open a cake shop. But the bread got bigger and bigger. I’m an obsessive reader and read everything about bread. I started experimenting and somehow the idea morphed from a cake shop into a bakery.

People seem to like the bread. On a Saturday we do 25 different sorts of bread. There is such an international community here in Walkley… Greek, Spanish, French, Italian, Polish, Danish, Hungarians, Mexicans, Canadians, Germans, Syrians, Lebanese, Azerbaijanis, people from South East Asia… It’s a joy isn’t it? People bring back books from their countries. They’re grasped part of my passion for producing authentic bread. Also it seems like people have warmed to the traditional idea of fresh bread daily.

What do you love about it?

If you are a gardener you have to wait a fair while for the reward – with bread it’s quicker! Actually I don’t think we make bread but rather we assist in the process. We are channeling the yeast in a particular direction…I love to experiment. For example today we are making focaccia for the first time. What’s astonishing is that you can take four ingredients and make so much by tinkering around.

I also have a fantastic set of customers.

What’s hardest about it?

It’s relentless – in a lovely sort of a way. But it does mean you rarely get a real day off. Also how much do you make? I have records from our first day but it’s still hard to know how much to make.

And I guess trying to run a business at the same time as making the bread.

How would you sum it up in three words?

Physical, expectant and joyful!

Anytime when you thought about giving up?

At the start. There was more money going out than coming in. It was scary but then it just took off.

 A particular moment of joy/a high?

We’d been open for four days when a short, stocky guy walked in. In a deadpan and slightly aggressive way he said “I got some of your bread cakes the other day…… They were just like my granny used to make them.” I knew then we were onto a winner.

On a Friday I make challah – a Jewish bread . It’s a spiritual experience. No one makes it fresh in Sheffield – that’s a real privilege.

Is there anything you are particularly looking forward to or an ambition?

Pastries! Now we have enough bakers. We’re going to make Danish, Dutch, Portuguese…..

What are you most proud of?

My staff. As far as I know nobody can tell who makes which bread – everyone is up to standard.

Favourite quote/piece of advice you have been told?

“Don’t follow what other people do. Do what you think is right!”