About
Us
Hi! I'm Abby - the owner of Sweet & Fair, and I love good food!
Before starting my own business in 2020, I worked as a pastry chef at Jesmond Dene House in Newcastle where I had the privilege of working under Cal Byerley - now chef-owner of Michelin-starred Restaurant Pine. To further hone my skills and get them on paper, I later completed a Level 3 NVQ in Patisserie & Confectionery at Gateshead College.
But as well as being an avid baker, I’m also a qualified nutritionist. I received a First Class Honours degree in Food & Human Nutrition from Newcastle University, followed by a Distinction in my Masters in Public Health Nutrition at Northumbria University. So yes, I make a mean brownie, but colourful, wholesome salads are also on the menu. It’s all about balance!
I also hold a current Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate, and my business is both registered and insured. We’ve been awarded a 5-star Food Hygiene Rating, so you can rest assured that you’re in safe hands!
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Read on to find out how Sweet & Fair began, and how we’ve grown to where we are today!
Our Story
The idea of Sweet & Fair originated in 2012, as a partnership between two friends. Charlotte and I had regularly held charity cake sales while we were at school, and decided to turn our shared love of baking into something more. From our parents’ kitchens, we started selling homemade treats at local farmers’ markets and food festivals. It was a fun (if short-lived!) first foray into business, as soon, university took us nearly 200 miles apart. But the love of baking continued.
Fast forward eight years and suddenly the dream of running my own business looked like it could again become a reality. I'd recently become a homeowner—meaning I could finally run a food business from my own kitchen—and had been furloughed from my job as a pastry chef, giving me the time and freedom to explore something new.
I noticed a growing demand during lockdown for home food deliveries and luxury treats, so I took the leap and re-launched Sweet & Fair, this time as a solo venture. I began offering homemade afternoon teas for delivery around Tyneside, and it quickly took off and kept me very busy—helped by a lovely feature in the Newcastle Chronicle!
As the seasons changed, I created new themed menus, and almost every Saturday I'd get up early to bake scones and pack up orders. My husband would then drive around the city delivering little boxes of luxury to homes across Newcastle, Gateshead, South Shields and beyond! The kind words and glowing feedback from customers meant so much—especially to be told by some that it was the best afternoon tea they'd ever had!
Since then, Sweet & Fair has continued to evolve. As the pandemic came to an end and restaurants and cafés reopened, demand for home-delivered afternoon teas naturally declined. And on a personal note, in 2021 I became a first-time mum to a baby boy! After some time away on maternity leave, I chose to return to the business on a part-time basis—reducing afternoon tea deliveries and gradually shifting focus towards catering for parties and events. Then, in 2024, we welcomed our daughter and our family felt complete!
I resumed the business again in April 2025, after another period of maternity leave. I'm still working part-time and though it sometimes feels like a bit of a juggling act, I feel very blessed to be able to run my own business from home, doing what I love and having the freedom to fit it around the joys and challenges of family life. I have had the pleasure of providing food for some lovely events, including an afternoon tea celebration for 50 people, a table of over 300 mini desserts for a wedding, several three-tiered cakes and quite a few corporate buffet lunches!
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I'm excited to see what will come next, so if you're looking for catering or a cake for an upcoming event, please don't hesitate to get in touch!
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Love, Abby xx
