Engineer leaves high-flying job to follow dream as patisserie maker
A LEADING aerospace engineer is swapping the high-pressure world of aeronautics for crème pâtissière and ganache.
Mark Mcintosh, who has worked for Rolls-royce for 19 years, is preparing to launch his first patisserie café, Mmacaron, in Market Street, Ashby.
The town centre café aims to provide “a luxurious, family-friendly experience, with plenty of freshlymade, decadent treats on the menu”.
According to Mark, who lives in Ashby with his family, his love for all things delicious began when he took a Saturday job at a bakery at the age of 15, waking at dawn each weekend to make doughnuts and pastries.
After university, Mark followed his love for engineering and aeronautics and built a successful career at Rollsroyce, where he has been for the last 19 years, most recently as vice-president of services programmes.
A keen and proficient amateur baker, Mark’s love of cakes and pastries developed alongside his career. He says creating cakes was often “a release” from the pressures of the job, with his technical training coming in very handy on the fine detail.
As we all adjusted to life through Covid, Mark made the bold decision to step away from his aeronautical career and follow his dream.
Mark said: “It has been a dream of mine for many years to open my own patisserie café and share my skills and love of cakes with others. Covid allowed us all time to pause and reflect on our lives and plan a different future. I knew that it was time to make the move.
“It’s been a challenge to create a business through a global pandemic and many have called me crazy to give up a very good job, but sometimes you have to follow your heart. I can’t wait to throw open our doors and welcome our first guests into our café.
“We’re creating a luxurious and decadent concept and hopefully a wonderful experience and escape from the recent challenges.
“And I have big plans. If this goes well, we hope to open more Mmacaron’s nationally.” Mark, who is the executive chef, is currently devising the menu together with pastry chef Emily Bucknall, who has represented the UK and won awards for her cooking, and has worked alongside some of the UK’S top chefs, including Sat Bains.
According to Mark, the menu will be seasonal, and where possible, ingredients will be sourced locally.
As well as macarons, customers can expect to find classics such as tarte aux fruits, mille feuille, eclairs, madeleines and croissants, and both sweet and savoury scones in homage to Devon, where Mark’s love of baking first began.
There will be a food waste policy in place, meaning that all unsold creations that are near their best before date will not be thrown away.
Mmacaron will work with local care homes and residential care to deliver treats for residents to enjoy.
Mark intends that Mmacaron will be a laid-back luxury patisserie café, with a “modern and rich interior with decadent materials for a luxurious feel.”
As a father with young children, he is also keen to ensure it is familyfriendly, and will include features such as pushchair parking and a family-friendly changing room, as well as offering free fruit and babyccinos for children.
“The idea behind Mmacaron is to spread the joy of exceptional patisserie to as many people as I can.”
Mmacaron is planned to open on Friday, May 21.