Meet Aubin & Avneet

Following their remarkable journey to the final of Bake Off: The Professionals, Aubin Farges and Avneet Kaur have become familiar faces to pastry lovers across the UK. At The Stafford London, however, their focus is on creating memorable desserts for our guests every day.

With backgrounds spanning France, India and some of the world’s leading kitchens, Aubin and Avneet bring together classical technique paired with trailblazing creativity. We sat down with the pair to talk about their journey into pastry, what inspires their desserts and how their approach to the craft is evolving.

When did you first discover your passion for pastry?

Avneet:
It all started when I was watching baking programmes on television. One day I decided to try baking myself, even though we didn’t have an oven at home. I baked my very first cake in a pressure cooker and everyone loved it.

I was still at school at the time and began baking for friends and family. I’ve always loved painting and detailed artwork, so pastry felt like the perfect way to combine creativity with something practical. After graduating, I trained in bakery and pastry before starting my career in Pune, then later joined The St. Regis Mumbai, where I learnt so much about textures, techniques and the foundations of pastry.

Aubin:
For me, becoming a pastry chef was always the dream. As a child, I spent every weekend baking cakes at home with my mum before eventually making them on my own. I genuinely looked forward to it all week.

I followed the traditional French apprenticeship route, spending six years combining work with pastry school before qualifying. After that, I moved to London to improve my English for what I thought would be a year. Four years later, I’m still here.

What do you love most about being a pastry chef?

Avneet:
I genuinely love what I do. Every day is an opportunity to learn something new, experiment with different ideas and create desserts that make people happy. Seeing guests enjoy something you’ve made is incredibly rewarding.

Working alongside Aubin gives us the freedom to keep developing new ideas and continually improve what we create. We’re always asking ourselves how we can make the experience even better for our guests.

Aubin:
One of the best feelings is watching people enjoy a dessert and knowing that it becomes part of a special memory. Whether they’re celebrating a birthday, an anniversary or simply enjoying dinner together, it’s wonderful knowing they’ll remember that moment.

We’re also incredibly fortunate to do something we genuinely love. Pastry is such a broad discipline that you’re constantly learning. One day you might be creating desserts for the restaurant, the next you’re working on afternoon tea, room amenities or a special event. There’s always something new to explore.

How do you approach creating new desserts?

Aubin:
Seasonality always comes first.

During the winter we’re naturally drawn towards comforting flavours, warming spices, apples and pears. As spring arrives, guests begin looking for lighter desserts and fresh berries. By summer, it’s all about strawberries, stone fruits and refreshing flavours.

I like to keep desserts elegant and balanced rather than overcomplicated. I don’t believe you need unusual ingredients to surprise people. Sometimes it’s simply introducing a fresh herb, a citrus note or a spice that completely transforms a familiar flavour combination.

Has pastry changed over the years?

Aubin:
Absolutely.

There was a period when pastry was almost entirely focused on appearance. Everything had glossy glazes, elaborate chocolate decorations and looked almost too perfect to eat.

Today, guests want something different. They want to see texture. They want to see crisp pastry, light sponge, smooth ice cream and desserts that feel generous rather than overly polished. Flavour has become just as important as presentation, if not more so.

Avneet:
There’s also much more focus on fresh ingredients and natural flavours. Chefs are experimenting more with textures and combining different culinary influences while still allowing the ingredients themselves to shine.