About Me

Born Andrew Bowden, Andy Bowdy is my assumed pastry alter ego.

 

Being a pastry chef was never on my agenda as I grew up but I guess it was something always close to my heart. Watching both my Nans in their kitchens, waiting anxiously for the spatula to lick it clean. Obsessed with toffees at school cake days, and using the Woman’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake book as toilet reading material, I guess you could say I was blind to the light. But after two failed attempts at University I went on a light-seeking trip to Europe. It was whilst living in London that I found and then bluffed my way into a job in the kitchen. Under the tutelage of Stephen Fredericks, I discovered my passion.

 

My style has changed dramatically over the years, reflecting the various restaurants I've worked in and the chefs I've worked under. Coming to Hartsyard, owner Gregory Llewellyn let me off my leash, trusting in my ability and ideas of what I thought desserts and cakes should look and taste like. Unleashing OTT soft serves into the restaurant scene, outrageous oversized pies, bespoke cakes weighing a tad bit more than my girlfriend's 1999 Toyota Corolla, and of course, "that sundae". The restaurant scored hats and the infamous peanut butter and banana sundae picked up more trophies and accolades than I could manage to accumulate in my entire high school sporting career.

 

But let's talk cakes. Cakes need to taste as good as they look. For me, the best part of the cake is always the cream, so why is it so scarce? It shouldn't be like trying to find Wally in Wally World. Somewhere down the line the cream to cake ratio got all mixed up. I'm seeking to undo these cake crimes.  Fry the dry and lubricate the cake!!