Meet Lauren Ellis | Pastry Chef and Bakery Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Ellis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I just wanted to be able to make and showcase the pastries that I was craving. I didn’t see many pastries with the flavor profiles that I was doing in my hometown of Detroit. It feels good to give people something new to try and possibly broaden their taste buds.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America. I’ve worked in amazing three star restaurants in cities like NYC, Chicago, and even Sydney, Australia. Through my nomadic ways I’ve learned so many new skills and different ways to use my creativity. Being a chef isn’t easy. It’s long hours and hard on your body’. To be a chef you have to be driven by passion. That’ passion helped me push through the challenges and lead me to the place I’m at today

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Most of my friends are big foodies so the day would mostly consist of eating at my favorite places in Detroit. I would take them to Dime Store for brunch, then to Warda Patisserie for pastries with a walk down Woodward to do a little shopping. Dinner at Olin Bar and Kitchen and end the night with good drinks and music at Queens Bar.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I wouldn’t be here without the love and support of family and friends. I was brought up in a good size family in the midwest with southern influence who loved to cook. Food brought us together, so much laughter and joyous moments surrounded by food. My bakery is named after my grandmother Walter Patton. Naming the bakery after her was a dedication to all my family members to showcase the amazing impact they had on my life

Website: walterpats.com

Instagram: @walterpatsdetroit