KIN+ILK x Saint Hugo Pop-Up

We’re SO excited to be introducing a very special collaboration between ourselves and the one and only Saint Hugo Bakery.

If you’ve been living under a rock, Saint Hugo is a Swansea-based artisan bakery founded by Benjamin Condé - not only an incredible baker, but also a finalist on Bake Off: The Professionals. So, what does this pop-up mean? It means that, for a limited time, we'll be replacing our current cake displays in all locations with Saint Hugo products (lucky you!).

We wanted to ask Benjamin a few questions about his background and Saint Hugo so you can get to know him a little better.

What made you start Saint Hugo? Where does the name come from?

 Saint Hugo was born from a simple commitment to quality. We wanted to create something truly for us, by us - producing only the very best pastries, with an uncompromising focus on ingredient quality and staff ethos above all else. That vision led us to opening in Llanelli, a project we never imagined would grow into such a large-scale operation, but one we’re incredibly grateful for. It’s allowed us to train, develop, and help shape so many people’s careers in both pastry and coffee along the way. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built. Today, we’re a team of 20 across four locations, including our production unit. We use over 5 tonnes of Lescure butter from France every year, alongside 1.6 metric tonnes of Parisian flour every month. Wild.

What's your background in baking and cooking?

My grandfather was a chef when I was growing up, and after losing my father when I was five years old, we became inseparable. Every evening after school was spent cooking together - alongside plenty of snooker, of course. That relationship naturally led me toward pursuing a career in food, although I did briefly try a career in law… and I was absolutely terrible at it. No passion meant no progression. Food, though, has always been something I genuinely love. That passion led me to work in some fantastic Cardiff establishments, including Cocorico and Heaney’s, before competing in two seasons of Bake Off: The Professionals. After that, I worked for Cherish Finden herself, one of the judges from the show, before heading up Mokoko Bakeries in Bristol as Executive Chef, and later working at Coworth Park with Michelin-starred Woven. All of those experiences helped shape the standards we uphold today.

How would you describe what makes a Saint Hugo pastry different?

Every Saint Hugo pastry and product begins with one thing: flavour first. We draw inspiration from childhood memories, holidays, and even the diverse backgrounds of our staff - from Italian influences to Welsh traditions. That creative process pushes us toward sourcing exceptional ingredients and creating what we like to think of as a Michelin-starred experience in pastry form. For us, it always comes back to one thing: flavour, flavour, flavour - beautifully delivered.

Where do you draw inspiration for new bakes?

New bakes almost always begin with memories. It could be something nostalgic from childhood, somewhere we’ve travelled, or even somebody’s favourite snack. Sometimes inspiration is as simple as seeing an incredible piece of fruit, a chocolate, or another ingredient that sparks an idea and turns it into something real.

What's your personal favourite thing on the menu right now?

My personal favourite? Always our Cardamom Buns. Delicate, beautifully balanced, and even better dipped in coffee.

If someone's never tried Saint Hugo before, what should they order first?

The ultimate Saint Hugo experience? A Pain au Chocolat - torn apart, piece by piece - dipped into a Flat White. Always.

And finally - what's your go-to coffee, and what Saint Hugo bake would you pair it with?

My go-to coffee is an Oat Flat White. Pair that with a Cardamom Bun for dipping and you’re in a very good place.

So, when and where can you find some really delicious artisan pastries and specialty coffee? From Saturday 4th July all pastries will be available in KIN+ILK, St Davids.

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Rydym yn gyffrous iawn i gyflwyno cydweithrediad arbennig iawn gyda Becws Saint Hugo!

Erbyn hyn mae’n siŵr eich bod wedi clywed am Saint Hugo. Mae’r becws crefftus yn Abertawe wedi’i sefydlu gan Benjamin Condé, sydd nid yn unig yn bobydd anhygoel, ond sydd hefyd wedi cyrraedd y rownd derfynol yn Bake Off: The Professionals.

Felly… beth mae hyn yn ei olygu? Am gyfnod cyfyngedig, bydd cynnyrch Saint Hugo yn cymryd lle’r cacennau sydd gennym yn y siop ar hyn o bryd (a dyna newyddion da i chi!). 

Roeddem am ofyn cwestiynau i Benjamin am ei gefndir a hanes Saint Hugo er mwyn i chi gael ei adnabod yn well. 

1) Beth wnaeth eich ysbrydoli i ddechrau Saint Hugo? O ble daeth yr enw?

Dechreuodd Saint Hugo gyda ffocws clir ar ansawdd. Roeddem am greu rhywbeth oedd yn wirioneddol yn adlewyrchu pwy ydym ni. Rydym yn cynhyrchu cynnyrch pobi gan ddefnyddio’r cynhwysion gorau posibl, gyda chefnogaeth ein tîm anhygoel! Arweiniodd hynny at agor ein safle yn Llanelli, prosiect na allem fod wedi dychmygu byddai’n tyfu i’r graddau y mae heddiw. Rydym yn ddiolchgar o galon am y gefnogaeth a’r holl gyfleoedd. Dros y blynyddoedd, rydym wedi helpu i ddatblygu nifer o bobl ym maes pobi a choffi. Rwy’n hynod falch o’r hyn rydym wedi’i adeiladu. Heddiw, mae gennym 20 o bobl ar draws pedwar lleoliad, gan gynnwys ein huned gynhyrchu. Bob blwyddyn, rydym yn defnyddio dros bum tunnell o fenyn Lescure o Ffrainc, ynghyd â 1.6 tunnell fetrig o flawd o Baris bob mis. Mae’n anhygoel meddwl pa mor bell rydym wedi dod. 

2) Beth yw eich cefndir ym maes pobi a choginio? 

Roedd fy nhaid yn gogydd pan oeddwn i yn tyfu i fyny. Ar ôl colli fy nhad pan oeddwn i’n bump oed, daethon ni’n agos iawn. Ar ôl ysgol pob dydd roedden ni’n coginio gyda’n gilydd, gyda digon o snwcer hefyd, wrth gwrs! Felly roedd gweithio ym myd bwyd yn gam naturiol i mi. Am gyfnod byr, ceisiais ddilyn gyrfa yn y gyfraith, ond doedd hynny ddim i mi o gwbl. Heb angerdd, doedd dim dyfodol ynddi. Mae bwyd wastad wedi bod yn rhywbeth rwy’n ei garu. Arweiniodd hyn at gael y cyfle i weithio mewn rhai o sefydliadau gorau Caerdydd, fel Cocorico a Heaney’s, a chystadlu mewn dau dymor o Bake Off: The Professionals. Ar ôl hynny, gweithiais gyda Cherish Finden, un o feirniaid y rhaglen, cyn arwain Mokoko Bakeries ym Mryste fel Prif Gogydd. Yn ddiweddarach, gweithais yng Nghoworth Park gyda Woven, bwyty seren Michelin. Mae'r holl brofiadau hynny wedi cyfrannu at y safonau sydd gennym heddiw.

3) Sut fyddech chi’n esbonio beth sy’n gwneud cynnyrch Saint Hugo mor arbennig? 

I ni, blas sy'n dod gyntaf bob tro. Rydym yn cael ein hysbrydoli gan atgofion plentyndod, gwyliau, a chefndiroedd amrywiol ein tîm, o ddylanwadau Eidalaidd i draddodiadau Cymreig. Mae’r syniadau hynny’n ein harwain at ddefnyddio cynhwysion eithriadol a chreu cynnyrch sy’n cynnig profiad arbennig i’n cwsmeriaid. I ni, mae'r cyfan yn dod nôl at un peth: blas, blas a mwy o flas!

4) O ble rydych chi’n cael eich ysbrydoliaeth ar gyfer cynnyrch newydd?

Mae cynnyrch newydd bron bob amser yn dechrau gydag atgofion melys. Gall ysbrydoliaeth ddod o bob math o lefydd, atgof blentyndod , taith, neu hyd yn oed flas sydd wedi aros yn y cof. Weithiau, mae gweld cynhwysyn arbennig yn ddigon i sbarduno syniad newydd.

5) Beth yw eich hoff beth ar y fwydlen ar hyn o bryd?

Fy ffefryn? Y byns cardamom, heb os. Maen nhw'n llawn blas ac yn well fyth gyda phaned o goffi.

6) Os nad yw rhywun wedi blasu Saint Hugo o'r blaen, beth ddylen nhw roi cynnig arno gyntaf?

Y ffordd orau o brofi Saint Hugo? Pain au Chocolat wedi’i rwygo’n ddarn wrth ddarn a’i drochi mewn Flat White. Bob tro.

7) Ac yn olaf, beth yw eich hoff goffi, a pha gynnyrch Saint Hugo fyddech chi’n ei baru?

Fy hoff goffi yw Oat Flat White. Byddwn yn ei baru â bwn cardamom i'w drochi yn y coffi.

Translated by Ella Maclean