Meet Nicola Lamb of our favourite pop-up bakery

If you dream of light-as-a-feather pastries and delectable deserts (no? Just us?) then look no further than PUFF the Bakery...

Written by The Sette October 12, 2020

…a London pop-up specialising in the kind of sweet treats that’ll make you go weak at the knees. Co-founder Nicola Lamb is a top-drawer pastry chef with experience everywhere from Dominique Ansel Bakery to Ottolenghi; now, she runs PUFF full-time alongside fellow pastry connoisseur Ravneet Gill. Her love of the sweet things in life runs even deeper than her business, however: despite her stone fruit allergy, Nicola always eats at least one peach a year. Now that’s what we call dedication.

Game, sette, match… what game really gets a dinner party started?

I love the weirdly awkward game at the end of dinner when there’s the last bit of dish left when no one (but secretly everyone) wants to take the last bit. It’s like a dance! That’s the real game at any shared meal.

Heart sette on… what are you really longing for, no matter how big or small?

Independence. But to always value the support of others.

Sette in my ways… what’s your worst habit?

Never offering to make the coffee in the morning.

Sunrise or sunsette… which is your favourite time of day?

When I spent a few years waking up at 9pm (yes PM!) making croissants I realised that I could be an anytime of day person, as long as butter was involved.

Ready, sette, go… what have you wanted to do for a while now?

Start a business. And on a more serious note, deciding when it’s the right time to cut a fringe.

Sette the record straight… what’s something people might not know about you?

My stone fruit allergy will never stop me from eating at least one ripe peach every year. Dedication is what counts.

Sette teeth on edge… what really annoys you?

Dirty sinks.

Sette an example… what do you think would make the world a better place?

I think the world would benefit from having more empathy and more logical thinking at the same time.

Sette the scene… what’s your idea of a dream home, or the perfect gathering?

I had a very dreamy evening a few nights ago at Knepp where we tried to recreate the BRAT turbot over an open fire – the way they do it there is basically slow roasted and spritzed with vinegar. It got to about 10pm, it was pitch black except for the fire and we were still slapping this fish with a spring onion dipped in pickle juice as it was all we had. It was silly. Those are the best gatherings. Nothing too fancy.

Jet-sette…. where’s your favourite holiday spot and why?

If I could be transported to Bar Ganbara in San Sebastian right now I would be SO happy.

DJ sette… what are the top five songs on your playlist right now?

I like that – Janelle Monae
Wild Girl – Kito & Empress Of
Retrograde – James Blake