Jon started his career in finance in London working as an asset manager. However, in his mid 20s, his passion for adventure took him to live and work in San Sebastian, a small town in northern Spain renowned for its food.
After 12 years of setting up and running a successful culinary business called Mimo, in 2020 Jon and his family decided to relocate back to his Kentish roots.
Following the move, Jon spent his spare time baking bread, often selling it to friends and neighbours. After a mentoring course with baker Adam Pagor, Jon took the leap to pursue a career in baking and Gilda was born.
After a year of lone baking at home mastering sourdough, Gilda bakery premises in the village of Bishopsbourne opened its doors in May 2022.
Jon is a family man and loves spending time with his wife and children. He is fluent in Spanish and in his spare time enjoys a spot of tennis and cycling – only when he gets the chance though!
During lockdown, Josh discovered his passion for making sourdough at home, which he’d always wanted to take more seriously. In 2022, he stopped his work in the media advertising industry to start a baker role at Docker Bakery, where he learned the ropes working his way up to a senior baker position.
As Head baker, Josh’s role means he oversees production, our Gilda team and is in charge of all things stock; including ordering the delicious ingredients.
You’ll find Josh eating a Savoury Danish or out tucking into some delicious Mexican food – he’s a bit of a foodie. Josh plays the guitar and loves music; including live music and a regular Glastonbury trip.
Ben has always had a passion for sourdough, which started in his home kitchen. Ben had experience working at several bakeries, before joining the Gilda team in February 2023.
Ben loves making (and sometimes cuddling) sourdough ciabatta which he can’t get enough of. However, he is also partial to a slice of the chorizo and cheddar sourdough or a cinnamon morning bun for his sugar fix.
In his role as Head of Product Developments, Ben is the creative behind our products; working alongside the team to develop new flavours and seasonal ranges including Christmas and Easter.
Ben is incredibly creative and you’ll often find him cooking at home or fixing things around the house; he loves a bit of DIY. A fun fact about Ben is that he’s an excellent whistler!
Molly brings a wealth of experience and passion for baking. With 7 years of cheffing under her belt, Molly’s career has taken her across the world, from working in a bustling burger joint in Sydney to a host in New Zealand during a winter season. Her dedication to cooking and baking led her to a position at a Kent Bakery, before she joined us at Gilda!
In her spare time, Molly can be found whipping up delicious concoctions in the kitchen or baking one of her delicious cakes. She passionate about different cuisines, with a particular love for Asian flavours, and let’s not forget her weakness for a square or two of chocolate
Every bakery needs a powerhouse and for us its Joe!
Always happy, Joe works solidly through the night to help us ensure our bread is hitting the ovens in the early hours, ready for our customers.
If you ever see Jo, he’s likely to have just finished a night shift so please give him a thumbs up or pat on the back as he goes home to see his family and take a well earned rest.
Patrick has been cheffing for a long time, with a career that’s taken him to places like Wild Bread in Faversham, where his passion for baking truly flourished. Most recently, he was the head baker at Garage Coffee, perfecting his craft and creating delicious bread and pastries daily.
Patrick studied Level 3 Pastry in college, but he’s a real bread boy at heart. He loves the tactile nature of baking bread, especially classic sourdough and baguettes. There’s nothing he enjoys more than walking around with a freshly baked baguette!
A savoury guy through and through, Patrick’s enthusiasm for bread is matched only by his love of board games. A social butterfly, he loves gathering friends around a table to play his favourite games. If you ever need a recommendation, his friends run a board game café in Guilford!
Gemma joined us last year, bringing a wealth of experience from the hospitality sector. Growing up in Canterbury, she has always been passionate about the industry, having worked in numerous front-of-house roles. Her career highlights include managing Sargasso in Margate and running a wine bar in Brighton.
A real people person, Gemma is always smiling and often greeting customers behind the counter. She not only oversees the day-to-day operations but also brings her love for food to the deli & shop.
Outside of work, Gemma is a dedicated foodie who loves exploring the Kent food scene. If you need recommendations, she’s your go-to! She’s a savoury girl at heart, with a soft spot for Gilda’s signature chorizo and cheddar loaf, followed by a cinnamon bun, of course.
Born and raised on a farm, animals have always been a significant part of Julie’s life, she currently has two dogs and a horse named Jessie which is where you’ll find her in her spare time. Julie also volunteers at the Riding for the disabled centre in Chartham, helping out whenever she can.
Her work history has always revolved around food in various shapes and forms. She was a school cook for 15 years and worked as a cook at the Oriole Café for two and a half years before joining the team here at Gilda. Julie is a bit of a foodie and she is a sucker for a Gilda cinnamon bun, there’s no doubt about that!
Gary has been with the Gilda team from the start. Coming out of retirement to be our delivery coordinator and driver, we feel very fortunate to have him as the face of the bakery to our many wholesale customers.
Gary carefully packs and prepares our deliveries in the very early hours, before heading out as the sun rises to our customers across SE Kent.
Martin is a retired post office worker who is so used to early mornings he arrives before 5am to start preparing orders for the busy day ahead.
Martin has achieved the level two certificate in Food hygiene and safety and we look forward to him becoming an integral part of the Gilda bakery team.
Linda is essential to the bakery running smoothly and is a regular ray of sunshine.
She is a keen gardener and tends to her own veg plot, as well as being a dab hand in the kitchen, cooking up dishes with her home-grown produce. She is also a very keen baker and makes her own preserves; a passion driven by her experience in the cheffing industry. She’s queen of gadgets, which she loves sharing with the team – anything to make their lives easier!
Everybody loves Linda.
Odessa joined the team last summer as a bakery assistant before joining the shop and market team too! She’s responsible for our delicious Chocolate & Seasalt cookies that sell out every weekend! She has a sweet tooth; her favourite pastry is a croissant – with jam, butter and a cup of tea of course! Odessa grew up in Scotland and loves being surrounded by animals and nature. So much so that she dreamt of being a zookeeper as a child. She’s now turned her hand to acting and hopes to start drama school in September
Will’s love for sourdough began in lockdown when he started baking at home. Fast-forward three years and he’s working part-time in the bakery alongside his career as a Music Producer focusing on film & television. In his free time he enjoys hiking and he’s preparing for a trip later in the year to find Paddington in Peru! His favourite bake is the Brie & Spring Onion Sourdough and any of the delicious veggie pastries our Senior Baker Molly invents!
