Melanie Andrews was awarded an MBE in the New Years honours list for 2017.
Melanie Andrews is a self taught Baker with over 40 years Baking experience of which 25 years of them Professional.
Melanie lives, breathes and dreams of all things Home baked and has put her money where her mouth and talent is by owning and running her chain of successful Tearooms in Scotland - Craigard Tearooms.
She opened her first Tearoom at the tender age of 21 in Loch Fyne in Argyll and then swiftly followed with three more . Craigard Tearoom in Helensburgh remains today after Family life and 3 children later took hold. After donating the next few years juggling family life and Commercial business Melanie then went on to publish her first Recipe Book . Melanie has also published various DVD Recipe Films for beginners .
She has appeared on various Television programmes in Scotland including STV. She frequently holds Radio interviews relating to her recent majorly Successful - Scottish Baking Awards.
Scotland now has a regulatory body for great Bakers and Melanie personally Assesses all the people/premises that gain this now prestigious Award.
Melanie's Home Bakery 2022 to Date
Melanie now Bakes, collects orders and delivers personally, to all that love the traditional taste, texture and flavour of handmade cakes and bakes. The quantity of bakes is endless and an extensive display cabinet at 46 Abercromby Crescent Helensburgh G84 9DX can be offered should you not see what you need in the online shop. Happy eating everyone!
Craigard Bakery 2020 to 2021
Welcome to Craigard Bakery Est 1992 (Previously Craigard Tearoom) The Craigard name has become synonymous through the decades with quality and high customer service. Masterbaker Melanie Andrews MBE began baking at the tender age of 8 and continued her passion with 4 highly successful tearooms. Melanie has written many recipe baking books and videos and appeared on Television with the very best in her industry. Melanie won the "Gourmand" Award for Best Baking book " Baking with Melanie Andrews" in Scotland and 3rd in the World the following year. She is the Director/Founder of the highly successful Scottish Baking Awards and gained an MBE in 2017 for her services to the Baking industry in Scotland. Craigard Bakery evolved after a change in the industry worldwide in 2020. Melanie now Bakes, collects orders and delivers personally, to all that love the traditional taste, texture and flavour of handmade cakes and bakes. The Covid19 Pandemic saw the Hospitality sector irreversibly change and Craigard Tearoom was not alone in feeling the change. Where there was once Craigard Tearoom, now stood The Craigard Bakery.
Scottish Baking Awards
Melanie Andrews - Founder/Organiser
In 2009,whilst on a driving holiday in Scotland, I found a distinct lack of information for restaurants, tearooms, coffee shops etc that supplied real Homebaking.
Being an absolute confirmed sugarholic and an avid eater of all things homemade,I devised a plan,on the back of my Car manual in the glove compartment.
I reckoned I had a little bit of knowledge in the catering industry, after having 4 of my own Restaurants and 2 thriving companies,so I set about devising a way to market, advertise, regulate and assess all the eating establishments in Scotland that provided great Homebaking.
There is "Homebaking" and then there is "Great Homebaking" and I was looking to advertise the latter.
How do you do that? You have to put your money, time and passion where your mouth is, and travel to each and every one of the establishments that you have researched, that say they offer Homebaking.
I travelled the length and breadth of Scotland from east to west and and visited all the stunning islands, including the Shetland Islands.
These more remote places are more often than not, ostracised from the rest of the main land, so to have the SBA turning up and promoting them was a unique opportunity and one they much appreciated.
Each year the nominations were coming In thick and fast and the travels were getting that I was rarely at home.
Each premises or person was thoroughly assessed, and that meant after a few assessments each day, I was becoming a bigger , rounder version of myself !!
The successful premises/People were given a window sticker with the SBA logo on it and the year they were awarded, a bit like a Michelin star for the Artisan Baking industry. They were also featured as a news item in their local newspaper. There have been a lot of success stories for many, many people /business in Scotland after winning the SBA and the exposure it gave them.
In 2013 the SBA had attracted so much interest and grown so much that I held our very first Awards ceremony at Marhall, Bishopton. All of the above and to date has been solely funded by myself.
This now meant, that each premises /person that had been assessed by myself in that year, had the possibility of being shortlisted for this prestigious ceremony.
I believe you only get one shot at a first impression and Marhall definitely ensures a 5 Star event.
Since 2011 the SBA had grown from strength to strength and it single handedly promoted the wealth of talent that Scotland has in the Artisan baking world.
The size and increasing interest in the Awards was its downfall after 2017, as financing the Awards myself was proving impossible, and sponsorship was not forthcoming sadly.
In 2019, after many emails, telephone calls, meetings etc, the people of Scotland won me round to try again and promote the wealth of brilliant talent we have in Scotland.
Sponsorship was hugely forthcoming for the 10th Anniversary year Awards ceremony at Marhall in September 2020. Some of the best Chefs, Bakers , Celebrities and Cakemakers in the business all signed up to be a part of this 10th Anniversary show. All competitors were signed up, primed and raring to go. This was to be the best event on the Scottish Calender. Sadly in March 2020, again the Covid19 pandemic ended our freedom, way of thinking, competing, socialising and choice to continue. I truly hope that in the not to distant future , there will be a further Scottish Baking Awards, bigger and better than ever before. I would love to move forward and continue to promote the Artisan food industry in Scotland.
Here's to putting the SBA on the social calendar again in Scotland. Watch this space!
Craigard Tearoom chain 1992- 2021
The original Craigard Tearoom was established in March 1992 on the Bonny banks of Loch Lomond. It was so successful, that 2 more tearooms followed, both in Melanie's hometown Helensburgh.
A successful 4th business, by the name of Craigard Catering, was also set up at this time to cater for high end business in the area, and the west of scotland.
And so was born the "The Craigard Chain"
After the birth of Melanie's first child, the original Craigard was then run and eventually taken over by her parents.
Melanie continued to bake for the tearoom and the outside catering business whilst juggling motherhood.
In 1992 the 2nd Craigard Tearoom, and arguably the most popular, was born in Helensburgh's busy sinclair street.
In 2000 the 3rd Craigard Tearoom was born on Helensburghs seafront at Clyde street.
It was at this time, whilst juggling 3 busy tearooms and an outside catering business, that Melanie's 2nd child came along.
The Chain was sold in 2000 and the Sinclair Street Tearoom was kept until 2021.
Covid19 sadly was the reason for this beloved remaining Tearoom sale.
But no keeping a good woman down - Onto the next adventure ........
