JOY • NOURISHMENT • COMMUNITY
JOY
At the heart of our mission lies an unbridled joy in creating delicious bread and bakes made with nourishing flour, shared in a welcoming environment that thrives on connecting with our local community.
NOURISHMENT
We believe in cultivating food with kindness and embracing the complexity that comes from a relationship between nature and human craftsmanship. Whilst prioritising our environment and the wellbeing of our customers, our aim is to provide a holistic experience, not just one that satisfies the senses but also nurtures the body, heart and spirit.
COMMUNITY
Created carefully to nourish and sustain the community it serves; our bread is created as a conduit for togetherness. Central to our journey is the art of crafting shared experiences. The friendships and relationships that we have built, are the same threads that we want to weave into Quince’s future, ensuring we maintain an environment that is warm and welcoming.
As we welcome returning customers and embrace new ones, we are excited to see how the tapestry of Quince grows richer with every connection we make.
ANNA HIGHAM
From her earliest childhood years, Anna’s life has revolved around the kitchen. Her mother, Ruth, was always found in the kitchen, cooking for family, catering for lunches and community events. As the youngest of four children, Anna was always put to work building lasagnes, frying apples for tarts and helping however she could. Family conversations naturally gravitated towards discussions of food, a tradition that endures to this day.
A career in hospitality started with a job cheese mongering whilst studying architecture at Glasgow School of Art. Further student jobs in bakeries, delis and wine shops deepened her culinary knowledge and passion and led to the realisation that she found more pleasure and fulfilment there than architecture could ever offer.
Anna’s ambition was to open a bakery after leaving art school, so she moved to London to expand her culinary horizons and knowledge. Her journey unfolded across a decade, marked by remarkable experiences in exceptional kitchens. Her career began with The Gordon Ramsay Group, followed by a transformative opportunity that led her to New York to work at Gramercy Tavern. Inspired by this experience, Anna returned to London firmly resolved to work in an environment that celebrated ingredients and gave her the freedom to make delicious puddings within a positive work culture. Her journey led her to Lyles, where she spent almost five years. During this time she fell in love with British produce and learnt to let ingredients and producers shine.
Upholding her ingredient-driven philosophy, Anna then went on to open the bakery, Flor, a bakery that bore the hallmarks of her culinary philosophy. This new journey opened doors to the world of grains, introducing her to a community of bakers, farmers, and millers. And in the realm of flour, she discovered a vast landscape of ingredients to explore and learn about.
The pandemic brought a new chapter; Anna moved to River Café after a brief period of learning about the art of ice cream with Terri Mercieca at Happy Endings. This phase in her career provided her with the invaluable experience of building a team from the ground up, learning about logistics, and gaining insight into the building and maintenance of a legacy. The pandemic also provided the time to write the cookbook she had always missed from the culinary canon. The Last Bite is a love letter to ingredient-led desserts.
Before opening Quince, Anna spent a year travelling and learning from bakery owners about maintaining creative integrity whilst building a community-focused business. But it was after working at Hamblin Bakery for 6 months that Anna was inspired to open Quince.
Anna’s fascination with the quince fruit serves as the inspiration behind the bakery’s name. A significant portion of Anna’s professional journey has revolved around fruit, so naming the bakery after her favourite fruit, the quince, felt like a natural and the most authentic decision.
“The quince is very British, which I really love.The fruit is kind of old fashioned and unusual. British baking is something that I’m particularly keen to explore in the bakery. The UK has such a rich baking heritage, providing so many opportunities for experimentation and creativity. Whilst many bakeries draw influence from Europe, particularly France, as well as global trends from places like Copenhagen and America, I think there is such untapped potential in integrating my learnings into the rich tapestry of British baking traditions. The quince, symbolic of both tradition and innovation is the perfect muse for the bakery’s journey.”