Bake Off: The Professionals finalist Raf Perussi - our new patisserie in St Annes on Sea is different!
Fylde coast folk have a chance to sample the kind of exquisite cordon bleu cakes and pastries you normally see on TV baking shows - becasue a Bake Off finalist has opened a new patisserie.
Raf Perussi, who appeared on Channel 4's Bake Off: The Professionals is now welcoming customers to a new patisserie, Beurre, which has opened on The Crescent in St Annes.
Raf, born and raised in Brazil to Italian parents, says it was the perfect place to open because he has lived in St Annes for the past 10 years.
The 37 year old, who was previously a cordon bleu chef at The Villa restaurant near Wrea Green, said: “I love it here in St Annes because although it is a quite a small place, there is actually an edginess about it, with some really interesting shops, restaurants and coffee shops.
“It might surprise people who don’t really know it well.but it reminds me a bit of a mini version of Brighton, with it having the seaside as well.
“The business community in St Annes is really supportive and they have made us so welcome.”
What can customers expect?
The patisserie, which is a takeaway-only establishment, sees Raf offering the kind of fare that saw him reach the Bake Off: The Professions final.
Rafi, who moved to London to study and then came to Lancashire because of a family link, said: “It is basically classic English cakes and pastries but with a French twist.
“We are serving our own modern versions of traditional classics, made on the premises.”
Specialities include Raf’s own unique takes on raspberry favourite Manchester Tart, lemon drizzle cake and lemon and yuza tart, among many others.
Sign up for our free newsletters now He opened Beurre with partner Conor Westbrook, 30, who does not bake but looks after ‘front of house’, launching the patisserie on August 3.
He added: “We’ve taken a gamble on a dream. People might think chefs earn a fortune but we’re just ordinary people like everyone else, trying to make a living.
“The idea is that people come along, take away some cakes and go to the beach, or to the park, sit on a bench and enjoy them, maybe with one of our takeaway coffees.
“But we are a takeaway only, we’re not competing with what’s already on the high street here.
“If people want to sit in and have a coffee or lunch there are plenty of coffee houses and other places around here to do that.”
Beurre is open every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 10am and closes when all the day’s offerings have gone!