The passion for food often starts at a young age and this can certainly be said of Louise Brogan Hewitt, owner of Love to Eat and Brownie Mail. Whilst many of us hold fond memories of childhood baking with Mum and Dad, few can say they made their own 8th birthday cake.
This enthusiasm led Louise to a degree in Hospitality and Business Management. After working in the field for a few years and taking a year out to travel abroad she began to feel limited in her role as an employee. In 2008 support from The Princes trust enabled her to set out independently, so the first incarnation of Love to Eat was born.
“Initially Love to Eat was an outside catering company. I wanted to develop a business where I could express my own values, not be tied into that of my employer. It was about moving away from a few sandwiches on silver trays and offering a more exciting choice.”
Louise happily ran her new enterprise alongside working part time until personal circumstances created an abrupt change in living arrangements and – as a home run business – the base for Love to Eat. After spotting the premises that would go on to be the home Love to Eat customers love, Louise approached the bank for a business loan and nervously signed the lease for five years.
This July saw the renewal of the lease and the opportunity to move the business up a notch. Louise has seen a great response to their ethos of good food, locally sourced and at an affordable price. The friendly team give the cafe a relaxed atmosphere where nearby residents can relax and socialise.
“I want to show that local, seasonal and even organic food doesn’t have to be expensive. We aim to be approachable, no food snobbery.”
So what next for this thriving local cafe? Louise has recently engaged with a scheme called Entrepreneurial Spark; a Leeds based idea offering structured mentorship and support for business both in the start-up and growth stages of development.
“It is time for a more grown up version of Love to Eat. We still offer outside catering services and I am in the process of developing a new way of getting our popular brownies to customers who are further afield.” (Brownie Mail) “I would like to see Love to Eat become further involved in helping the community which supports it.”
If you would like to hear more about Love to Eat or are interested in engaging any of their services you can contact the team at info@lovetoeat.co.uk. Catch them on social media at the links below.
Do you live in the Acomb, Dringhouses or Woodthorpe areas of York? Are you a regular customer at Love to Eat? Perhaps you have a favourite cafe hiding in your side of the city? I am always interested to hear your thoughts in the comments box below.
