Chef Graham Hornigold is at the top of his game, having spent over twenty-five years sharpening his skills at the likes of The Park Lane Hotel and Mandarin Oriental in Hyde Park, where he learnt under Lisa Crowe. He was executive pastry chef at The Lanesborough Hotel and joined the Hakkasan Group in 2011 as a consultant, overseeing pastry sections around the world. Today, as well as running wholesale pastry businesses, he's also – with fellow pastry chef Heather Kaniuk – behind the Longboys doughnut brand, which has two shops in London and serves up brioche finger doughnuts filled with everything from lemon meringue pie to raspberry rose lychee.

Phil Khoury grew up in Sydney, beginning his career as an apprentice pastry chef at Peter Gilmore's Quay, one of Australia's most celebrated restaurants. He worked at Shangri La Sydney, ending up as its head of research and development, before moving to London in 2018 to join Harrods as a pastry sous chef, rising to head pastry chef three years later. He has appeared on Bake Off: The Professionals, and is building a following in particular for his focus on plant-based baking – his book A New Way to Bake takes classic recipes including apple pie and sticky toffee pudding and rethinks them using vegan ingredients.

Though Anna Higham's career began in architecture, her love of cooking soon drew her to the kitchen, with early stints at Bread Street Kitchen and Pétrus in the capital and Gramercy Tavern in New York. After returning to the UK, she led the pastry section at James Lowe's Michelin-starred Lyle's in Shoreditch and became group head of pastry in 2019 when sister restaurant, bakery and wine bar Flor opened. In 2020, Anna joined The River Café as executive pastry chef and has since published her cookbook The Last Bite. She's now preparing to open Quince Bakery with Paris Barghchi in Islington, where she'll bake sourdough breads made with UK-grown stoneground flour, yeasted buns, oat cookies and wholegrain palmiers.

Andrew Gravett is a master in his field, overseeing one of the most famous afternoon teas in the capital as executive pastry chef at The Langham. He moved to Normandy for a four-year apprenticeship as a teenager, honing his craft, before working in Michelin-starred restaurants including The Capital Hotel, where he became head pastry chef after a year. After, he worked around the world for chocolate producer Vairhona before (after a brief stint out of the industry, working as a taxi driver and at a ready meal factory) taking on the role at The Langham in 2017. Since then, he has cemented its – and his – reputation for creating world-class sweet treats.

After finishing her culinary training, Nokx Majozi worked in hotels and resorts in her native South Africa, before moving to Miami and London, where she took on roles at The Intercontinental Park Lane, The Landmark and Brown’s. It was in 2014 that she joined Rosewood London's Holborn Dining Room and where, at its Pie Room, she first fell in love with the art of pie-making, charmed by its creativity and working alongside former executive chef Calum Franklin, who left in 2022. Today, as senior chef and head pie-maker, she has continued to cement its reputation as a shrine to golden, glossy pies, building a reputation for the intricate patterns and designs she creates and fillings which celebrate the flavours of her upbringing. 

Having taken on roles around the world, including at bakeries in Melbourne, Lima and Paris, Helen Evans worked alongside Anna Higham at Flor and later took over as head baker. There, she focused on building relationships with UK-based farmers and millers, sourcing organically-grown, soil-friendly wheat, before it closed at the start of 2022. In 2023 she opened her first solo venture Eric's Bakery in East Dulwich, where she is continuing to champion UK-grown wheat from low and no-input farms.

Choosing a career path comes easier to some of us than others, and for Darcie Maher the decision was made early. Having known she wanted to be a baker since childhood, when she left school she began building experience at the likes of Flour Water Salt in Macclesfield and The Palmerston in Edinburgh. In summer 2023, Darcie was ready to go it alone and, thanks to a partnership between Chloe Black (of Edinburgh Butter Company, with which she had previously worked with on a croissant recipe) and The Palmerston co-founders James Snowden and Lloyd Morse, she opened Lannan in Edinburgh's Stockbridge area. There, she blends traditional techniques with modern flavours, with signature bakes like her croissant tarts making queues a common sight.

Pastry chef Bomee Ki was born and raised in South Korea, first moving to London to study her Diplôme de Pâtisserie at Le Cordon Bleu, from which she graduated in 2010. Between returns to South Korea, Bomee worked as pastry chef at the Arts Club in Mayfair and, in early 2020, opened her debut restaurant Sollip near London Bridge with husband and business partner Woongchul Park (the pair met while studying at Le Cordon Bleu, reconnecting after they had both graduated). Their menu marries European and Korean cuisine, blending their cultural heritage with their classical training.

These pastry chefs are just a handful of those showing what's possible in the UK, focusing on artisanal methods and pioneering techniques and bringing deserved recognition to their work.