{"id":524229,"date":"2026-06-08T07:40:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T07:40:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/524229\/"},"modified":"2026-06-08T07:40:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T07:40:17","slug":"labour-of-love-the-gen-z-food-trend-transforming-home-kitchens-into-elaborate-cafes-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/524229\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Labour of love\u2019: the Gen Z food trend transforming home kitchens into elaborate cafes \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is a sunny Saturday morning in late spring and Aulbright Nyih is elbow-deep in dough at her home in Swords<\/a>, Co Dublin. Sweet smells of baking waft through the kitchen which has been a hub of activity since dawn. This time tomorrow, the room will be filled with friends, having transformed into a \u201chome cafe\u201d: the Gen Z food trend to sweeping TikTok<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The 23-year-old dentist and part-time content creator describes the planning and execution of what she has dubbed Aulbright\u2019s Coffee Club as \u201ca labour of love\u201d. Nyih was inspired by Ryan Nordheimer, a self-taught cook and baker whose NYC apartment cafe concept has gained him millions of views on the app. <\/p>\n

This gathering is the second iteration of Nyih\u2019s take on the trend, and she puts on quite the spread; think croissants the size of your head, chocolate muffins, cookies, lemon loaves, focaccia and cinnamon rolls neatly lined across sheets of brown baking paper, labelled with black marker. <\/p>\n

So what does it say about how members of the digital generation consume their food? For Nyih, the main appeal of curating and hosting events like this comes from cutting through the mundane. <\/p>\n

\u201cJust doing things outside of work that aren\u2019t, you know, doom scrolling. I need to do something that\u2019s mentally enriching out of my comfort zone. I think it\u2019s so easy to be stuck in the nine to five, like I always try to do something after work or on the weekends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is some element of performing, and that\u2019s okay to admit,\u201d says Nyih. Documenting it on social media is part of the fun, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve gone through so many recipes to find the ones I\u2019m going to use for today, setting it up and having a vision and bringing it to life. [It\u2019s] the same reason why I make videos \u2013 I have a thought in my head and I want to lay it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nyih\u2019s journey to creating her home cafe started with a social media detox in January. \u201cI wanted a break from everything, so I deleted all my apps,\u201d she says. Left with \u201chours and hours of free time\u201d, Nyih decided to learn how to make croissants. \u201cIt was really fun. I was like, I could just do the coffee club then, like, this isn\u2019t the hardest thing ever, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n

Nyih, who graduated from university last year, already runs a book club<\/a> that meets monthly in coffee shops around Dublin. \u201cCommunity is such a buzzword right now,\u201d she says, adding that people are really craving social outlets such as these. <\/p>\n

\"AulbrightAulbright Nyih prepares to host her home cafe. All photographs: Natalia Campos \"AttendeesAttendees take their pick of goods at Aulbright Nyih\u2019s cafe. Photo: Natalia Campos\/ The Irish Times \"AulbrightAulbright Nyih prepares strawberries for her event. Photo: Natalia Campos\/ The Irish Times <\/p>\n

\u201cI use different events that I host as a way to rekindle friendships, or to start new ones,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Nyih\u2019s cafe is free to enter, and she doesn\u2019t charge for her baked goods, which is part of the point. With an estimated spend of about \u20ac150 on ingredients, and plenty of time invested too, she sees it as a way of treating those closest to her. <\/p>\n

\u201cThird spaces where people feel like maybe they have to spend money to stay there could be a big factor why it appeals to people so much,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t expect anything from my friends, because I think my friends are the type that would do something similar.\u201d This time, one friend who works as a barista is chipping in; another hosts an annual summer barbecue, which Nyih is looking forward to. The invite list has almost doubled \u2013 from 10 to 17 \u2013 since she first hosted the cafe in her kitchen. <\/p>\n

While it all looks picture perfect, baking on this scale is a process of trial and error. A soggy cinnamon bun fiasco \u201cwas the one kind of flop\u201d the first time around. \u201cI\u2019m making them again to redeem myself,\u201d says Nyih, who baked everything from scratch.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe the amount of sugar and butter that goes into pastries. I\u2019m a dentist with a sweet tooth,\u201d she says, laughing.<\/p>\n

On TikTok, there is an element of the \u201csweeter and crazier\u201d the better, with the most absurdly mesmerising desserts being pushed out by the algorithm. \u201cAnd, you know, there is a bit of, I suppose, voyeurism with [the trend] as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking at the beautiful presentation of Nyih\u2019s baking extravaganza, you can see how she\u2019s inspired by cafes such as Bread 41 which are booming in the capital at the moment.<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Inside Ireland\u2019s coffee culture: \u2018When I said I was a barista, people thought I worked in the Four Courts\u2019Opens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

\u201cI love the pastries there. I think Ireland\u2019s artisanal bakery scene has really picked up … even our coffee scene<\/a>, as well, has grown so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c[With Bread 41] you see where it\u2019s baked, all next door. The staff are super nice. It\u2019s laid out super pretty. You enjoy what you get,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

The \u201creally great quality\u201d of Irish ingredients shouldn\u2019t be taken for granted either.<\/p>\n

\"AulbrightAulbright Nyih hosting her home cafe in Swords. Photo: Natalia Campos\/ The Irish Times \"AulbrightAulbright Nyih is inspired by Dublin bakeries such as Bread 41. Photo: Natalia Campos\/ The Irish Times \"AulbrightAulbright Nyih’s baked goods, neatly arranged and labelled. Photo: Natalia Campos\/ The Irish Times <\/p>\n

\u201cOur flour is so great, our butter is amazing. I think people really take that for granted, living in Ireland, that all our fresh base goods are really great quality.\u201d Kerrygold\u2019s newfound chicness<\/a> abroad is case in point. <\/p>\n

Nyih now has her sights set on a pot-luck of sorts, this time inspired by Cake Picnic, which describes itself as a \u201cglobally recognised gathering rooted in generosity, participation and joy\u201d. Starting in 2024, the official picnic has toured cities around the world, requiring attendees to come bearing their most decadent cake creation. <\/p>\n

San Francisco\u2019s event last year captivated the masses online after it was featured in The New York Times. Gathering 1,387 cakes in one place? Say no more. <\/p>\n