A GREENFIELD decorator is a hand with a paintbrush, but it’s Mark Bedford’s skills that help launch a new career.
In business for less than a year, Mark’s move into Italian biscuits and sweets has already found favor with celebrity chefs.
Hairy Biker Si King, former MasterChef winner Simon Wood and last year’s Great British Bake-Off champion Giuseppe Dell’Anno have all become fans of Mark’s homemade Prendi il Biscotto (Italian for ‘take the biscuit’) range .
And they don’t come much more homemade than from the 49-year-old, one-time art school graduate’s kitchen at the family home on Carr Lane.
Such is the growing success of a venture launched at last year’s village Christmas market at the King William IV pub, Mark is considering a complete career change.
“This is a passion of mine and I want to try it,” he told the Independent. “We’ve been baking cookies for family, friends and neighbors for years.
“They all said why didn’t I try to turn this into something more. So I thought I’d try King Bill’s Market.
“When I was exhausted in about 90 minutes, I thought I might be on to something. So I registered the business and set it up separately.
“I’m as busy as ever with painting and decorating, but six months ago I had to cut it back from full-time to three days a week.
“It’s getting to the stage if it continues to develop and grow, I’m going to have to rent some space or rent space with a kitchen.
“If decorating becomes the minimum amount of work, I can hang up the brush and pick up the pastry brush full time.”
With such positive recent feedback from the likes of King, Wood and Italy’s Dell’Anno sharing thousands of endorsements via social media, Mark’s products are becoming known to a wider audience.
As well as supplying the Saddleworth outlets, he cooks for businesses in Marsden, Slaithwaite, Royton and Prestwich. A bar in the city of Manchester has also expressed an interest in taking future deliveries.
As another sideline, he planned and cooked a three-course Italian meal for 30 diners and took part in a photo shoot for a Tuscan-themed wedding. Mark will also be featured in a new BBC food program which will air next March.
“I have no Italian heritage and can only speak a minimal amount of the language,” explained Mark, supported in his venture by wife Jules.
“But my father was a train driver. And one way my parents could reasonably afford to go every year was to travel to Europe by train because Dad got a discounted fare.
“They loved going to Italy and I have memories from when I was a kid of stopping in different cities.
And we would always buy a biscuit or something to take with us on the next trip.
“I guess what I’m trying to do is recreate authentic cookies and a sweet treat that I remember as a child and as an adult, and have returned many times since.”
Mark’s offerings include Cherry Almond Biscotti, Limoncello Amaretto Infused Biscotti, a Chocolate Espresso Biscotti, and an Orange Almond Star Biscotti.
For more details visit Mark’s website at www.prendiilbiscotto.co.uk
