Shaheen Peerbhai is the chef-owner of Miel Bakery, classically trained in French cuisine and pâtisserie at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and London, as well as Ecole Ducasse in France, where she earned several prestigious culinary scholarships. Her career spans across Mumbai, Paris, and London, with experience in everything from terroir-driven bistros to 3-Michelin-starred restaurants. Shaheen has taught thousands of students worldwide and is passionate about continuing to teach viennoiserie at Miel—when she’s not baking or perfecting her latest obsession: panettone.
Yuqiao Guo is the founder of Matter at Hand, an acclaimed artisanal ice cream kitchen based in Bloomsbury, London. Parallel to her career as an artist and architectural designer, Yuqiao carved a path for her life-long ice cream passion and built a professional kitchen where she develops recipes and churns seasonal flavours in small batches. Since its inception in 2023, Matter at Hand has been featured in various publications and is stocked at a number of groceries in London. One can find Yuqiao scooping experimental flavours at her local farmers’ market, hosting tasting sessions, and catering custom flavours at special events.
From a young age, Lucie Bennett was immersed in a world of food, inspired by a family of passionate cooks. Her love for baking started in childhood and grew through school and college, where she studied fine art before discovering her true passion for pâtisserie. In 2004, she began formal training at Westminster Kingsway College on a pâtisserie scholarship.
Lucie’s career took shape in London under renowned pastry chefs William & Suzue Curley, where she refined her skills in pâtisserie and chocolate while also leading workshops. She has since worked on international projects, collaborated with Bailey’s, taught at Bertinet Kitchen, and appeared in Country Living magazine.
Previously based in Henfield, Lucie created award-winning bakes inspired by nature. Now, she steps into a new chapter as UK brand ambassador for Guittard Chocolate, working alongside Paul A. Young to relaunch their signature couverture blends.
Heidi Luk began her journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Product Design, initially working as a watch and jewelry designer. Drawn by her passion for colour, beauty, and sugar, she pursued a Pastry Diploma at Le Cordon Bleu in London. After gaining experience at cake shops in London and Hong Kong, Heidi launched Sparks & Cakes in 2014, blending her design expertise with pastry artistry. Her creations celebrate the beauty of edible art, bringing joy and inspiration to every occasion.
Octavia Lamb is a chocolatier, recipe developer & writer from London. Having worked for renowned chocolatier William Curley, she went on to launch her own eponymous chocolate brand, making seasonal, sell out collections- featuring her signature creations such as the Tea & Biscuits bonbon and the Croissant Praline.
Octavia’s recipe writing is featured on Nicola Lamb’s hit newsletter, Kitchen Projects, for which she is the chocolate contributor.
Octavia’s fascination with chocolate has seen her travel to the other side of the world to spend time on a Peruvian cocoa farm, which deepened her commitment to working with ethically sourced chocolate.
Stuti Kuthiala has been infatuated with desserts as far back as she can remember, inspiring her to pursue her passion for French pastry at the prestigious Ferrandi Paris and refine her culinary skills at the Culinary Arts Academy in Switzerland. Along her journey, she trained in some of Paris’ most iconic pâtisseries and Michelin-starred restaurants. Now, as the curator of the ever-evolving weekend pâtisserie menu at Miel, Stuti is eager to share the knowledge, techniques, and insider tips she has gathered throughout her career.
Nelson Fartouce has built his expertise working with some of London’s most esteemed bakeries. In recent years, he has discovered a deep passion for teaching pastry and bread-making, firmly believing that ‘teaching is learning twice.’ A native of Portugal, Nelson is classically trained in French techniques and strives to fuse the finest traditions from both countries in his work.
workshops@mielbakery.co.uk
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