Niki’s background spans across both food retail and food service sectors, with a particular interest and passion in raising brand awareness & driving opportunities for independent food businesses. With a career spanning over 25 years, initially, as a trained patisserie chef, she has extensive experience across the food & drinks industry covering new product development (NPD) & manufacture, food research & training, hospitality & events and communications & marketing, she is particularly skilled in market research, spotting market trends, understanding & delivering customer needs & is highly creative in innovation & product design.

Niki was a co-creator of a Food Training Programme for the UK’s leading food retailer, developing and delivering accredited training for over 8 years, as part of a continued professional development (CPD) initiative; she has also acted as an associate lecturer for hospitality at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) along with curating and delivering food-based projects and events on behalf of the University.

Niki met Matt and Nina back in 2009 whilst working freelance, writing the initial session plans for the Milestone Cookery School and was delighted to be asked to develop and lead the Blend Culinary Foundation for them. She is committed to delivering an exciting, innovative portfolio of specialist cookery classes that are both contemporary and relevant. Alongside the cookery school element Niki is passionate about forging relationships that enable the fulfillment of the aims of the foundation, and is dedicated to supporting a proactive approach to the implementation of multiple initiatives that reach and support as many local communities as possible, her goal to reach the one million meals pledge.

Wendy began her Chef career under the eagle-eyed tutelage of Albert and Michel Roux Jnr at the revered 3-Michelin star restaurant Le Gavroche in London. The Roux chose Wendy, who also has a passion for travelling, to send on ‘stages’ (chef style ‘placements’) to their affiliated venue based in the Adirondack mountains, New York State and then onto ‘Micheal’s Waterside’ in Santa Barbara, California.

Eventually, on returning to London, Wendy worked at some of London’s best-known modern eateries including Kensington Place, Orso, Joe Allens and Launceston Place. Transferring eventually took on the position of Specialist Canape & Patisserie Lead Chef for a high-end catering company where she enjoyed a number of years delivering a huge variety of styled events including designing The Harry Potter film series premieres wizardly wonderful buffets as well as working on the food for premieres of Lord of the rings, Gangs of New York and 007 to name a few! She also worked on the infamous Elton John White Tie and Tiara ball and personally designed the dessert for Elton and David Furnish’s wedding breakfast.

On relocating to Yorkshire Wendy set up wholesale cake companies Scoffingtons, Hash Brownies Ltd and Baked and Caked on Chesterfield Road; most recently you may have enjoyed her skills as Head Chef at Marmadukes. Wendy possesses a wealth of experience across numerous cuisines and is a fantastic teacher, eager to share her knowledge with all of you who come and join us here at Blend Culinary Foundation!