‘SHARING MY PASSION IS SO REWARDING’
Susie Whitfield, 52, lives with her partner, Jake, 59, in Warwickshire. Taking the hot Victoria sponge cake out of the oven, I hold it up to the camera that is sitting on a tripod the other side of my kitchen worktop. ‘You should have something that looks like this,’ I say, smiling. On my laptop in front of me, I can see all of my pupils proudly showing off their bakes and I feel a sense of pride for them.
If you had told me a year ago that I’d be holding virtual cooking classes for scores of pupils all over the world, I’d never have believed you. Yet, here I am, in my 50s, proving it’s never too late to do something you love.
Over the years, I’ve had a variety of different jobs, from teaching to running a bed and breakfast. But one thing that has been a constant in my life is my passion for baking. I loved being in the kitchen, and my partner Jake enjoyed all the treats I rustled up.
When lockdown hit in 2020, I was working as a freelance florist and holding the occasional baking class for a specialist company, but overnight, as events were cancelled, I found myself without work.
Wanting to keep busy, I did some research online and discovered there was a market for online cookery classes and parties. I wondered if I could turn my love of baking, and the teaching experience I already had, into a business by holding my own classes. So with help from a website designer, I launched my own website and promoted my new business – The Cotswolds Baking Workshop – on social media.
Setting up a camera on a tripod, I held cooking classes, teaching people how to bake everything from scones to bagels and eclairs in the comfort of their own kitchen.
Of course, there were a few teething problems along the way, like the time I set my oven too high and burnt a batch of mince pies. But it just added to the fun.
I have so many people take part in my classes, from couples to groups of friends, and parents with their children, and it is so lovely to see people come together and bond over baking. Being able to share my passion with others is so rewarding, and I have lockdown to thank for that.
✱ The Cotswolds Baking Workshop offers baking parties and experiences for friends and family. Visit cotswoldsbaking.com
‘PEOPLE BOND OVER BAKING’