Fury as Pesach baker takes the biscuit
A SERIOUS road collision, a broken freezer and a delivery problem were among the explanations given by the manager of a kosher bakery which failed to fulfil a series of Pesach orders.
Weiss Patisserie, in Mill Hill, northwest London, promised to make deliveries by April 9, the day before the start of the festival. But many customers did not receive the goods they paid for and said they were given different reasons by the bakery, which is supervised by the London Beth Din (KLBD) and Kedassia kashrut authorities.
One customer said she was told there “had been a problem with their thirdparty delivery company”, while another was told “the freezer broke”.
Samuel White, Weiss’s managing director, emailed customers to explain why the business had been unable to deliver their orders.
He apologised for “the inconvenience in our delivery system” and blamed “a technical difficulty within our kitchen which was beyond our control”.
He added: “In regards to any question that you may have, please email us and we will respond to all corespondents [sic] after Passover.
“If there is anything else we can help you with please don’t hesitate to give
us a call.” However, in response to a request for a comment, Mr White emailed the JC on Sunday and said he was “truly sorry for the failure to deliver some orders” and pledged to “try to make it up to those who did not receive their order”.
He claimed by the end of this week he would be able to “identify those customers that suffered a failure in service and they will receive a separate personal apology email together with arrangements for refund”.
Mr White went on to describe how a car accident had prevented him delivering orders.
“Due to a major equipment failure over the weekend of April 8, most of our ingredients were destroyed. All orders were freshly produced in the following 24 hours, some of which were deliv- ered during Sun- day, April 9.
“Unfortunately on Sunday evening, whilst out doing deliveries, my car rolled over in a major collision. Fortunately I was wearing my seatbelt and was lucky to escape with only cuts and bruises. However the car and all the products were damaged beyond repair or recovery.”
Mr White, who is understood to be in his early 20s, claimed his “personal condition” and lack of time had made it “impossible” to fulfil the orders before he “travelled straight from the accident to the airport” to meet his family abroad for Pesach.
The JC asked Mr White to provide further details of the collision and asked whether he had reported the incident to police, but had not received a response before going to press.
The new bakery opened for Pesach and describes itself as “London’s finest dairy-free patisserie”. It is believed the intention is to continue trading as a kosher chometz bakery.
A KLBD spokesperson confirmed the Beth Din was “looking into the reports”. Kedassia has also been contacted but a spokeswoman said no one was available to comment on Wednesday.
One disappointed shopper, Cindy Collick, of Edgware, said she paid £150 for cakes she never received.
She said: “It was my son’s 21st and we were having a big party for him during Pesach.
“I ordered gateaux, cakes. The email said they would sort everything out after Pesach. This is a bakery that is supposed to be kosher l’Pesach, so why are they closed anyway? “They left us completely in the lurch.” Linda Cohen, of Muswell Hill, had preordered three boxes of macaroons, totalling almost £90. She said she had spoken to someone at the patisserie at 10.30am on the morning of April 9.
“They told me the earliest I could expect my delivery would be at around 4.30pm on Sunday. That time came and went — nothing.”
Mrs Cohen said the incident had left “a very sour taste”, and that she “can’t imagine… rushing to purchase from them again”.