O Nosso Pãozinho
Interviewed by Kulsum Hafeji and Habibah Hafeji
Photograph: Kulsum Hafeji
Ahmad and Farzana are a portuguese couple based in Leicester with a passion for baking. In 2019 they decided to embrace their passion for all things bread and pastry and started their small business, O Nosso Pãozinho, selling bread and other baked goods to local friends, family and neighbours. From a late Saturday night post on facebook, word of fresh bread and freshly baked pastéis de nata spread like wildfire throughout Leicester and orders came pouring in.
We at Colours of Leicester were so charmed by their passion for baking and the little personal touches that we decided to reach out and feature them for our magazine. We went to meet the bakers on a late sunny afternoon and were greeted with warm smiles and fresh bread out of the oven. We sat and chatted in their open plan living space and kitchen area with a direct view into the garden and of their recently built outhouse which is where we were told all the magic happens!
Kulsum: Tell us, how did it all start?
They both laugh at this and Ahmad, smiling, motions to Farzana to take this question.
Farzana: It started a long time ago. I mean, Facebook gives you those prompt reminders. It was 2016 when we were already sort of working towards what we are already doing today. Ahmad basically learnt everything from his grandparents. When he was growing up in the village, in Portugal, he learnt from sort of seeing them baking on a daily basis.
Photograph: Farzana
However, it was back in 2018 when he was off sick, and Ahmad was stuck at home, where it began. Ahmad would spend his time baking and baking, trying different things and experimenting.
I mean the neighbours used to say this street should be called Bakers Street or something. Eventually it got to a point where they were like guys, you should sell this. You guys should open a bakery! At that point I was like, Ahmad, maybe we need to do something.
One day out of the blue, in February 2019, on a Saturday night, we were sitting here and I said to him shall we put up a post you know, to see if anybody wants, freshly baked Portuguese bread on a Sunday morning delivered at your door? Any takers? Anybody interested? I wrote it all up with a picture and he goes: Put it! I was just about to click and I said to him, what if it goes crazy? He was like no it won’t go crazy, we’ll have one or two orders and I posted it. And Subhanallah that day we had so many orders!
Over a year, we've learned so much. Every day we bake, we learn.
Photograph: Habibah Hafeji
Kulsum: How has it been working with each other?
Farzana smiles.
Farzana: We've learned so much about each other because up until then, we were just husband and wife. Now it's like we are colleagues and we are working together. He will see things in me where maybe I have failed by not doing it to his standard and vice versa. How do you say it to each other without it becoming personal? You know, it was such a beautiful way of learning about each other.
Habibah: So, we want to know more, who taught you, Ahmad, how to bake?
Ahmad: My nanny. I just saw my grandmother bake and learnt from her. The recipe I'm using for the bread came from my nanny which came from her mother and generations before. Like Farzana said, my background is Portuguese. My mum’s background is from North Portugal, in Viseu.
If you go to my mum's village, you don't see the houses with the bricks, it’s stone. Stone by stone and you have the clay ovens inside. My nan used to live in the south but during the summer time we would go up North, sometimes for three months for my summer holidays. So yeah, I used to help in the morning and go to the barn and I would help my aunty take out the milk from the cows.
I grew up with that. No play stations, no phones. When it was my birthday, or anyone’s birthday, my mum would always say do the cakes because you have a nice way to do the cakes.
Like Easter time and Christmas time - I was always the baker, but doing cakes like pineapple cake, orange cake - it always came from my nanny’s recipes. So I used to bake cake but not bread, bread I started to do when we got married. Even when I came to England, I came in 1997 and we got married in 1999, that time I never made the bread for myself. When I got married that’s when I was like ah I remember my nanny doing it like this and I started baking bread.
We had a short 2 minute break while Farzana spoke to her son and we admired their grey british shorthair cat, Fifi.
Kulsum: So, what would you say has been your biggest challenges throughout this process of starting and running O Nosso Pãozinho?
Farzana: On a personal note, giving my time. Giving time to my family, to my husband and my children. That was my biggest challenge. Because I've always said this. I'm doing it for him. You know, it's my input for him. See it as a sign of my love.
Farzana laughs and Ahmad smiles widely.
Farzana: You know, it was a lot for me, because I do have health issues and with a very low sort of immune system, you have joint pains. So if you are too stressed then your white cells start to count down. So I know it's taking a lot from me, but I'm not counting what it's taking from me, probably because of how much it is giving me back. You know all the feedback we get and the new connections we have built.
Habibah: So, I can imagine it being quite difficult running this yourselves, are the kids involved?
Farzana: Yes. Mohammed is the eldest and at university. He helps with the customers, so giving out orders and things like that and he's very sort of, ‘it's Sunday mum you shouldn't be doing anything, you should be resting’. He keeps me in check so that's his way of sort of contributing. Bilal. He's just finished his A-levels and is interested in graphics and art. So yeah, He created the logo and he takes the pictures. The ones that you see that are not so good, it's me and the ones that look sort of professional they are his. He's very much a perfectionist, you know. He’ll say, “no, no, no, no, not like that, put a black cloth”. He’s that kind of voice, he helps with the image of the business. And Maryam, helps with cleaning and also with customers.
Kulsum: So let’s talk about your bread, what fillings do you put in your baked goods? Are they all traditional flavours?
Photograph: Kulsum Hafeji
Ahmad: The traditional one is just the chorizo. That’s it. You have the plain loaf and the chorizo bread. When I make my loaves, I always like to try something different. I am very particular, I’m like if you put this ingredient, it won’t combine with this one. This type of meat won’t combine with this herb. So, I am very very particular and like Farzana said, when I have dough left, that is when I experiment.
Habibah: What items did you start with?
Farzana: Just yesterday we were talking about this. We started off with the filled loaf, then with the halal chorizo bread. We then went from the chorizo bread with olives and chorizo bread with cheese, then jalapeño and cheese and then sundried tomatoes and cheese.
Kulsum: What is your ideal vision for this business? Have you thought that far?
Farzana: We would love to have a café of our own. At the moment, we just talk with customers at the door. However, something's not right. It's lovely, don't get me wrong, I love it, but it feels odd that we can't sit and talk.
The name O Nosso Pãozinho, means ‘Our bread’. Not just ours but everybody’s and because of our bread, you know, we are all sort of becoming one, one community.
So, I want a place where we can welcome anybody. There would be interaction with our customers and again, we would be learning. Learning and connecting.
They could give us something, we could give them something. You know just like this moment, you know we're learning so much from you and you guys are taking something from us. I think this is where the beauty lies, in a community.
Kulsum: So, wrapping up, what advice would you give to anyone who wants to start their own business?
Farzana: As you progress, you will find obstacles. You'll find days where you're like, oh my God, this is not the day. You might not be 100% yourself. You will have aspects which will sort of throw you back a little bit. So, the important ingredient really is passion. You need the passion, the more passion you have, the more strength you’ll have to sort of overcome anything that comes your way.
Secondly, you have to have a business mind, because you can't lose. Otherwise, it's not sustainable. Also, what has worked for us, is having that human side in you. You have to be human, you have to be compassionate, you have to be generous at times, you have to be yourself. Yeah, I think that's what it is, and do your pricings very well!
You know, it got to a point where I'm like Ahmad, hang on a minute, is this giving us any profit or am I just doing this to just burn calories you know and ironically we’re not even burning any calories!
We all laugh at this.
Farzana: So, you have to sit down. You need time, you need time. And yeah, I think if you've got more people in the business with you, delegate. For example, you’re good with the dough and creating and inventing new tastes. You're good with marketing. You're good with photography, you're good with customer service or whatever, then distribute that.
Habibah: Last question, from everything you make, what would you say is your favourite?
Farzana: In terms of breads, I love the new bread which is the Saboroso.
Ahmad: With a touch of pineapple.
Farzana: Yes, yes, that was invented in Ramadan whilst fasting. It's lovely honestly.
Ahmad: It’s a mix of all the breads we make.
Farzana: Am I allowed to say two more? So, the two more are definitely his Pastéis de Nata and my Berlin doughnuts.
Ahmad: My favourites are the new bread, Saboroso, because it's the top of the top!
I like the Berlin Doughnuts, but my favourite thing is the Pastéis de Nata.
We concluded the interview and Ahmad and Farzana proceeded to show us around their workspace, from the kitchen to the outhouse at the back of the garden which is their bakery and where all the magic happens! We later parted ways with a gift of some freshly made bread and smiles on our faces.
Seven months on, Ahmad and Farzana still dream of opening a café where people can sit, relax and enjoy some freshly made bread and Pastéis de Natas straight out of the oven! You can learn more about O Nosso on their Facebook page and Instagram. Their baking days are Tuesdays and Saturdays, to get in touch, you can DM on their socials @o_nosso_paozinho or get in touch on: 07961006511.
