Violet bakery and café in East London is an irresistible destination for those with a sweet tooth. California native Claire Ptak worked as pastry chef at Chez Panisse, before moving to London and starting Violet in 2005. The exceptional flavours of the cakes, scones, cookies and muffins, are matched by their delicate looks thanks to Ptak’s keen sense of style. In addition to gleaning ideas from her work as a food stylist and writer, Ptak references her extensive archive of cookbooks. Her collection spans from classics like Silver Spoon to the just released Fern Varrow Cookbook with many more obscure titles filling the gap. The colour-coded library of over 500 books provides an indispensable resource for someone who is shaking up the status quo in baking.
Pastry Chef Claire Ptak has a collection of over 500 cookbooks in her home in East London. The books are arranged by colour and include vintage and contemporary publications. Ptak regularly references the collection for inspiration and instruction.
Photo: Max Frommeld