Harneet Baweja teams up with Paris-based chef for new bakery concept
Opening today (16 September) Moi et Toi takes over Baweja’s Empire Empire Indian restaurant each morning and blends classic French patisserie with British flavours offering baked goods to both eat in and take away.
The pair have been friends since the early 2000s when they bonded over a shared love for Lisbon and surfing.
The opening of Moi et Toi marks a homecoming for the British-born Delling-Williams, who gained a cult following in Paris with Le Grand Bain, known for its honest, straightforward cuisine and natural wines, along with his bakery, Le Petit Grain.
Delling-Williams then moved to Normandy and opened the acclaimed The Presbytere, which champions farm-to-table dining with the goal of becoming fully self-sufficient.
With Delling-Williams as executive chef, day-to-day operations are being overseen by head baker Yazdin Pardiwala, who has been with Gunpowder for the past year and was formerly the executive sous chef at the Oberoi hotel in Mumbai and Oberoi Udaivilas.
Options include coconut and stewed pineapple buns; peanut butter pain au chocolat; earl grey custard tart; and roasted peach and cardamom custard bun.
Savoury baked goods include a croque monsieur croissant; pastries filled with charred leeks, cacio e pepe; and aged Parmesan or Camembert, rosemary & fig as well as a daily selection of freshly made focaccia sandwiches filled with the likes of ham and roquette pesto; and mushroom and truffle.
“I’m thrilled to start collaborating with Harneet on our new bakery project, Moi et Toi,” Delling-Williams says. “It’s been a long time coming, and it’s already been an exciting journey blending our passions for food and creativity. I can’t wait to see what we bake together!”
Baweja adds: “Edward and I have been searching for the ideal opportunity to collaborate, and I’m thrilled that we’ve finally found it with Moi et Toi. The bakery will draw upon Edward’s extensive experience in Paris, and we’re both excited to bring something truly unique to Notting Hill.”
Launched in 2023, Gunpowder followed the success of Baweja’s Gunpowder restaurant group which now has sites in London's Spitalfields, Soho and Tower Bridge as well as in Lisbon.