{"id":491616,"date":"2025-10-11T18:20:29","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T18:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/491616\/"},"modified":"2025-10-11T18:20:29","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T18:20:29","slug":"i-was-a-top-manchester-baker-and-i-stopped-it-all-to-do-things-on-my-terms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/491616\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I was a top Manchester baker and I stopped it all to do things on my terms’"},"content":{"rendered":"

From bites to bytes\"KendraKendra Groves, from Australia, moved to Manchester as a baker and continues to be part of the food scene here (Image: Kendra Groves\/Instagram: @kendragrovess)<\/p>\n

For baker and content creator Kendra Groves, food<\/a> has always been more than sustenance – it has been a stage, a canvas, and sometimes, a lifeline.<\/p>\n

Her journey into Manchester\u2019s food world didn\u2019t begin in a classroom but thousands of miles away in Australia, where she worked as one of the country\u2019s leading cake decorators.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was one of the biggest gigs you could get,\u201d she recalls. \u201cWhen I moved to Manchester, I couldn\u2019t find the same kind of role, so I started baking instead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her first step into the city\u2019s food scene was at Black Milk in the Northern Quarter<\/a>, where she honed her craft as a baker. The transition wasn\u2019t easy, but it opened doors. Within two years, she was running her own spot\u2014Factory Bake, a small but wildly popular bakery that quickly developed a cult following. \u201cWe sold out every day, usually by midday,\u201d she says, smiling at the memory.<\/p>\n

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\"Kendra'sKendra’s first step into the city\u2019s food scene was at Black Milk in the Northern Quarter(Image: Kendra Groves\/Instagram: @kendragrovess)<\/p>\n

Every morning, Kendra and her co-founder made fresh breads, cakes, and pies because they put their all into it. The promise of straightforward, traditional baked goods drew customers into the line early. However, the bakery\u2019s prosperity was fleeting.<\/p>\n

Due to the building\u2019s listed status, there were issues: \u201cAt first, we got cheap rent, which was perfect because we had no financial backing,\u201d says Kendra. However, the landlords attempted to treble it after six months. We simply were unable to keep up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had no financial backing,\u201d says Kendra. However, the landlords attempted to treble it after six months. We simply were unable to keep up. Factory Bake\u2019s closure was devastating.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was nine of the most rewarding and challenging months of my life. I gave it my all. I felt like I was losing a piece of me when it shut down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following its closure in 2023, Kendra started working as a freelance recipe developer for Get Baked before focusing on her long-standing, covert hobby of publishing food-related content on Instagram.<\/p>\n

Initially, it consisted solely of amusing postings, baking samples, and items from my kitchen. However, as I began visiting restaurants and writing about them, the reviews and videos gradually gained popularity.<\/p>\n

\"KendraKendra says Manchester ‘has amazing patisseries'(Image: Kendra Groves\/Instagram: @kendragrovess)<\/p>\n

Kendra demands sincerity, in contrast to many influencers. \u201cI have never received payment for writing a review,\u201d she says. \u201cIt defeats the purpose, in my opinion. I usually pay since I want an authentic experience, but occasionally I get invited to eat for free, which is lovely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her ethos has struck a chord. One of her videos for Hong Kong Caf\u00e9 went viral, helping the restaurant attract new customers. She says: \u201cThey gave me way too much food, I had to ask them to stop feeding me! But I wanted to make the best video possible. When it blew up, it felt so good to give back.\u201d<\/p>\n

While big-name influencers often focus on collaborations or sponsored posts, Kendra says she tries to seek out smaller, independent businesses. \u201cA lot of places are shutting down – it\u2019s brutal,\u201d she says. \u201cIf my video can help even a little, it\u2019s worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her freelance work now spans around seven clients, including Cardinal Rule, a soulful Texan couple running a Southern food restaurant. \u201cThey were my first clients and I adore them,\u201d she muses. \u201cThey\u2019re doing something so special, and I just want more people to see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Social media, she argues, is essential for survival. \u201cIt\u2019s free advertising, but not everyone knows how to use it properly. Some owners are cooking, running front-of-house, doing everything – they don\u2019t have time to shoot and edit videos. That\u2019s where I come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"KendraKendra Groves has gone on to become embedded in Manchester’s food scene as both a baker and content creator(Image: Kendra Groves\/Instagram: @kendragrovess)<\/p>\n

Whilst Kendra says she has grown accustomed to Manchester\u2019s food scene and its quirks, there\u2019s some things about back home that she often finds herself longing for.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Australia, bakeries are everywhere,\u201d she explains. \u201cEvery town has them. Meat pies, Lamingtons, melting moments\u2026 It\u2019s cultural.\u201d Asked about a Lamington, she says: \u201cIt\u2019s just sponge cake with cream and jam, dipped in chocolate glaze and rolled in coconut. Simple but perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n

She sighs when comparing this to the UK. \u201cManchester has amazing patisseries – Pollen, Flat Baker, all incredible – but there aren\u2019t enough traditional bakeries left. Greggs is everywhere, and while I love a Greggs sausage roll, it\u2019s not the same as a local shop baking fresh every morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, she dreams of opening another bakery – but says that next time it will have to be entirely on her own terms.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I open another bakery, I\u2019d want it to be playful, nostalgic,\u201d she suggests. \u201cWith bold flavours and a bit of weirdness. Something fun. \u201cWhen it happens, I\u2019ll know what to do differently. But for now, I\u2019m happy championing others, feeding people, and telling stories through food.\u201d<\/p>\n

You can follow Kendra on Instagram here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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