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backstage at biscuiteers
backstage at biscuiteers

Icing Cafés: Behind the scenes with our Senior Retail Manager

25 July 2017

 | 

5 mins

We know how much you love visiting our Icing Cafés in Notting Hill and Belgravia, so we thought we’d introduce Becky, our lovely Senior Retail Manager! She gives us her behind the scenes insights from the Icing Cafés, discussing her background and career as a Biscuiteer, what it takes to become a Biscuiteer, and her love for Christmas Jolly Gingers!
1. How long have you managed the Biscuiteers Icing Cafés, and how long have you been a Biscuiteer?
I first joined Biscuiteers as a temporary Christmas icer in our Grand Icing Hall back in 2011, and I loved it so much I never left! In 2012 the Notting Hill Icing Café opened and I was lucky enough to be asked to host classes and parties, sharing some of the Biscuiteers icing tricks and secrets. I gradually became a full time member of the Icing café team and after a couple of years became the Notting Hill Manager. I now work across both of our Icing Cafés as the Senior Retail Manager of both, ensuring we are continually providing the best possible Biscuiteers experience for our customers.
2. What does a normal day at the Biscuiteers Icing Cafés look like for you?
The first job of the day is preparing the shop for opening and welcoming our lovely customers. We always have a delicious selection of cakes and biscuits to offer, including salted caramel brownies and traditional scones. Next, I will check what events we have coming up in the Icing Cafés and what preparation needs to be completed. As my time is split between the two Icing Cafés I am also responsible for weekly catch ups and chatting to both teams about upcoming seasonal occasions, events and promotions plus training on new product ranges and ways to engage with our customers, in order to assist with their thoughtful gifting needs.
3. What’s your favourite part of the job?
I still love that I get to help with the occasional party or icing class in our Icing Cafés. It's always lovely to sit and share icing skills with keen customers and some super excited children!
4. Have you always been interested in baking, decorating and crafts?
My background was actually Contemporary Decorative Crafts, but when I moved to London from Lincoln I loved the whole range of crafts available and began working for a craft workshop host in Islington. This included sewing, cupcake decorating, paper cutting, screen printing, jam making and knicker decorating for the Hen Parties!
5. What do you think makes the Icing Cafés so special?
I love that everyone can have a go at biscuit decorating with our drop in DIY sessions. It's the perfect activity to enjoy with the whole family, no matter what your creative ability might be. And the best bit - you get to eat your delicious biscuits!
6. What qualities do you look for when hiring for the Icing Cafés?
We're a very friendly team with a passion for biscuits and a desire to help our customers choose the perfect thoughtful gift. We're always looking for friendly & enthusiastic people to join our teams!
7. You’ve been with Biscuiteers for a very long time! In three words, what is it like to be a Biscuiteer?
Exciting, creative, colourful!
8. What is your favourite Biscuiteers memory?
There are so many to choose from! I love the external demonstrations that we do. I had a lot of fun at the Spirit of Christmas Fair where I was showing people how to ice gorgeous biscuit baubles to decorate their tree or to use as cute table settings. A week or two later I was on the tube home and a lady recognised me from the demonstration and showed me lots of pictures of biscuits she had created at home with her little girl, using the techniques I'd shown her! That was very special.
9. And lastly, if you were one of our jolly gingers, which one would you be?
I love our Christmas range and in particular the Christmas Jumper Jolly Ginger. I have a pretty big collection of Christmas jumpers myself and one of our star icers created a bespoke jolly ginger of me in my favourite Christmas jumper last year. This took pride of place above my fireplace and will definitely be coming out this Christmas - I couldn't bare to eat it!
If you’re interested in joining our Icing Café teams, check out our vacancies page.