Meet Charles Hindi, Head Baker At Ashford Castle, Ireland

From studying urban planning and the social sciences in Paris to learning all about baking from Michelin Star chefs at fine-dining restaurants, we're so grateful to be able to share with you the journey of our wonderful Head Baker here at Ashford Castle. Tell us a little about yourself. I’m from Vannes, a small medieval city on the southern coast of Britanny, France. Tell us about your background, and how you came to baking. My studies actually had nothing to do with baking. After high school, I went to Sciences Po, where I studied law, economics, history, political science, and sociology. I then completed two Master’s degrees, one in urban planning at Sciences Po and another at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences in Paris. At the time, I was working as an urban planner in Paris. After Covid, I decided to fulfil a silly little dream and enrolled in a bakery degree. I didn’t want to work in traditional bakeries, so I sent out cover letters to fine-dining restaurants I admired and was lucky to get an apprenticeship with globally renowned Chef Yannick Alléno at the Pavillon Ledoyen, one of the oldest restaurants in Paris. I then helped him open Pavyllon London at the Four Seasons, and later moved to Saint-Emilion, near Bordeaux, to work at La Table de Pavie. Blackcurrant and frangipane pastries What inspired you to come to Ireland, and more specifically Ashford Castle? Since I'm originally from Britanny, I have Celtic blood in me. The music, the folklore, the landscape, and the culture were always part of my upbringing, so I feel like I belong a little bit here! I watched Father Ted and Dancing at Lughnasa when I was a teenager, and I fell in love with this part of the world back then. I really enjoy the rain, the roaring hills, the meadows, and the lush green valleys. Ashford is the jewel in the crown when it comes to wild and remote scenery. Our Executive Head Chef Liam invited me to visit for a few days, and I was sold by his energy and the mystic aura surrounding the estate. What do you like about working at Ashford Castle? I like the long-term vision. There is a clear plan with an ambition for the future of the estate, so we know what we are working towards. I like to build up, rather than to fall into a comfortable routine with short-term objectives only. At Ashford, I really do feel like I am part of a project in the making, with a complete ecosystem of talents and crafts around me. I’m not a traditional baker. I don’t like waking up early, working through the night on my own and leaving when everybody else comes in to work. My aim is for my team to be a part of the brigade, to be involved in all aspects of life in the kitchen, and to be valued for what we bring to the equation. That sense of inclusion and respect is something we genuinely feel here at Ashford. Bread can, and should be, so much more than a quiet accompaniment on the plate. A Head Baker brings as much creativity and expertise as any Head Chef or Pastry Chef, and that contribution is truly recognised here. Hot cross buns by Charles Hindi What is your proudest career moment? Back in 2008, when I was 10 years old, I was lucky enough to eat at Le Meurice in Paris with my parents. After the meal, I wrote a little note to the chef and he came to greet me and to take a picture. That chef was Yannick Alléno, one of the greatest, with around 17 Michelin stars to his name. Around 14 years later, I started my apprenticeship and my baking career under his command in Paris. One day, I showed him the picture we took all those years ago and he asked me to recreate the pose. It felt like coming full circle. That day I realized how lucky I was to get to work with one of my culinary heroes, especially after a completely different start to my career. Telling him that story was a very proud moment for me. What is your favourite pastry or bread? One of my favourite breads is a traditional tourte de seigle, a type of rye bread from the Auvergne region of France. It is very tricky to master, but it looks stunning and has the most amazing aromas when toasted, with notes of honey and coffee. I also have specific memories of breads which have stayed with me. For example, there is a bakery in Paris which makes this gorgeous polenta and cep mushroom loaf. Or I’ll never forget the seeded bread I was served in a Michelin-starred restaurant at Hampton Manor near Birmingham, because it instantly reminded me of the smell of the potato cellar on my grandmother’s farm. When it comes to pastries, apple turnovers are my favourites, but only if they have a caramelised sole and if there is a whole oven-roasted apple in the middle. Charles Hindi Do you have any advice for aspiring bakers? I have four bits! Always strive to evolve the baking profession. Baking is an ancient craft but it hasn’t really changed that much over the years, so the potential for evolution is immense. Don’t limit yourself to traditional high street bakeries. Go and make bread on a cruise ship, in the navy, in a fine-dining restaurant, in a hotel in the mountains where the atmospheric conditions are drastically different, or on a farm with a wood-fired oven. You will challenge every preconception you may have, and learn so much more about the craft. Investigate the social aspect of baking. It’s one of those professions which brings communities and people together, and we tend to forget that sometimes. I believe bread has a very underrated sociopolitical power. Find your own style. Most bakeries have the same stuff nowadays because of social media, and the way it impacts the diffusion of innovation. It’s easy to follow the trend, but when you create your own ideas, when you find your identity, things become much more interesting. Do you have any special creations planned for the future? Well, I am currently working on a chamomile and cider sourdough. I would like to create a full bread course for the George V Dining Room, which would be an integral part of the tasting menu, with takes on Irish staples like whiskey porridge. I would love to see more baked goods in all of the estate’s establishments, including The Prince of Wales Bar. Imagine a freshly baked savoury brioche served with your drink… I am never satisfied, so I’m always on the lookout for new ideas to explore.

Meet Charles Hindi

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