2011 was an extraordinarily challenging time for businesses in Ireland, as many of us well remember. For Joanne Peat of The Bakehouse, it represented an opportunity. With a background in interior design and architecture, Joanne had her own business which specialised in commercial interiors which unfortunately came to an abrupt standstill with the onslaught of recession. Suddenly, Joanne found herself having to adapt and reinvent her entire professional identity and thus, The Bakehouse was born.

Like the rest of us, Joanne had embraced the food revolution that had evolved from the Celtic Tiger, introducing us to many new and unusual previously unexplored cuisines. However, she also lamented the loss of traditional Irish comfort foods so dear to her in her childhood. Losing her grandparents during this time further influenced Joanne and her team’s vision for The Bakehouse as they strove to deliver a taste of traditional Dublin. Her grandfather had been a baker with Bewleys for over 50 years, which he fondly referred to as “The Bakehouse”. Joanne had a name for her new venture.

When The Bakehouse opened its doors, corned beef sandwiches, coddle, and proper cups of tea made a long-overdue appearance on a Dublin café menu, much to the delight of patrons. Nearly ten years on, Joanne’s vision expanded with a second outlet in Dublin’s IFSC and a centralised kitchen and bakery in the Liffey Trust Building, which allowed expansion into the world of corporate catering and event catering.

Then came Covid-19 and with it, an unprecedented threat to so many Irish food businesses. Joanne and her team at The Bakehouse were not to be deterred and so The Bakehouse Box was born – handmade Irish comfort food delivered to your door. There is a range of boxes available for delivery or the choice to build your own box complete with freshly baked cakes, wines, beers, traybakes and the famous Bloomer bread which is what weekends were made for. It makes the best toast for a leisurely breakfast, or indeed, excellent sandwiches for an impromptu backyard picnic. Delivery is included and The Bakehouse team will drop this box of goodness to your door anywhere in the Dublin area, Monday – Friday. What’s more, the packaging alone is utterly charming.

We all recognise that supporting local businesses is of the utmost importance during these precarious times and the gift of a Bakehouse Box makes for a thoroughly thoughtful gift … while ensuring the ovens remain fired up at what has quickly become a modern Dublin institution.

www.bakehousedublin.ie