The cafe
This bakery is a product of passion and love. Melanie and Brad hope their fascination and ardor for good food are contagious and that The Urban Parisian becomes a highly anticipated destination for locals and tourists to gather and scintillate all their senses.
Brad
Brad began baking at a young age and under the loving influence of his mother became a formidable rival to his relatives in their annual pastry contest. This early talent led to an apprenticeship at The Ancaster Old Mill where he was encouraged to further his education. Brad went on to attend the acclaimed Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa where he earned his Diplôme de Pâtisserie and later his Boulangerie certificate.
He quickly attained the position of Pastry Chef at a local fine dining establishment and had the words (and crumbs) of Key Lime Pie on the lips of many in Southern Ontario. Brad has supplied many happy couples with beautiful and decadent wedding cakes and has been the purveyor of delicious treats for numerous charitable functions and private gatherings.
After a trip to France with his partner Melanie Atkins, Brad became driven to open and operate a bakery with a French influence. Thus, The Urban Parisian was conceived.
Mel
As an employee of the service industry for over nineteen years Melanie rapidly became a devotee to good food and drink. She began making and bottling her own wine in 1993 and this hobby soon led to a higher education. Melanie holds her Wine Certificate of Ontario and is an accomplished certified Sommelier. She and Brad met while working in a local restaurant and their shared passion for food and wine soon led to a partnership. After spending time in France and becoming enamoured of French cuisine she and Brad decided to open a bakery.