For sisters Emma and Leonie Johnston, business and family life go hand in hand. Emma and Leonie’s father took over Marshalls Café in 2012, and Emma started working there when she was still at school, learning the trade from her dad. In 2019, after the arrival of her daughter, Leonie decided to join the family business, which is situated just off the A1 trunk road in Berwick-upon-Tweed.
As Marshalls Café grew, Emma decided to start up a separate business in 2021, focusing on cakes and sweet treats, and The Flour Room was born, offering bespoke, hand-crafted cake tables for all kinds of events. You can discover more on The Flour Room’s Instagram here and keep up to date with what’s happening at Marshalls Café here.
Our local agent Corrin Williamson caught up with Emma and Leonie recently to chat about what it’s like to run not just one but two thriving businesses – over cake, obviously!
It’s lovely to chat to you both. Firstly, can you tell us a bit more about what you do?
Emma: I’ve been working in the café since my school days, under the guidance of my dad, and he taught me how to cook and bake. Marshalls became very successful, especially during the pandemic as word spread about the tasty cakes and generous portion sizes, and business has been booming. I usually bake the cakes and Leonie manages and runs front of house, overseeing between 10-12 staff members.
Leonie: We recently attended Berwick’s food and drink festival during August, which was very successful. Again it was about presenting the cakes in the best way possible and making sure that everyone felt invited and welcome.
Guessing you could have set up your business from anywhere, what led you to live in this area?
Emma: We were born and raised in Berwick-upon-Tweed and couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. We are surrounded by our family here and really enjoy the Berwick community.
Emma: I find inspiration for my baking from all avenues of life. My father taught me how to bake and I’ve used older and traditional recipes as a base for cakes but then always try to put my own signature on them, making them unique. I also keep up to date with trends on social media and find inspiration from other bakers from all over the world – including one recently from Australia.
In terms of ingredients, we don’t use a supplier as such. We shop at Aldi along with other local supermarkets, as we’ve found that bulk buying is equally as cost effective as having a regular supplier. However, we do use JM Posner for chocolate and spreads etc.
It must be amazing when you finish baking and see all the cakes you produced, as well as seeing clients’ faces when they buy them?
Emma: Yes, the answer is simply yes! It’s always amazing to see both.
Do you have a favourite type of cake to bake or do you enjoy the variation/challenge?
Emma: If we could, all the produce would be home made. We make homemade jams and chutneys, and I’m trying to master the art of breadmaking at the moment. My favourite thing to bake is cookies.
Cinnamon buns and caramel shortbread seem to be the most popular choice for customers. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a full counter of produce that’s empty by the end of the day.
What does a working day look like for you?
Emma: I wake up at 5am and start my working day in the café. I’ll start with baking the breads. My priority is to fill the counter with fresh cakes, sandwiches and salads. I’m slightly OCD and always want to be finished before 9am. A typical work day ends for both of us between 4 and 5, but if there’s an event or occasion to prepare for we’ll work up to 10pm. After finishing work I’ll return home to Hugo, my golden Labrador, and try to unwind, but sometimes this is challenging when juggling staff/rotas/accounts and supplies.
Leonie: My day starts slightly differently as I’m getting my daughter ready in the mornings. My mum will pop in and take over getting my daughter ready for school, which gives me the chance to get into work at 7am. After work I’ll come home for some mum time with my daughter, and, when I can, I’ll aim to head to the gym with Emma – we both go to Tweed Crossfit.
Emma: I like to escape to my home. My fiancé and I moved into our first home in 2021, in Berwick-upon-Tweed, and we’ve renovated and redecorated it ourselves. I really enjoy looking at décor for our house, although this makes me want to change around the café.
Leonie: We’re both big on family time and regularly spend time with the whole family going on trips together when they can. We often eat out together and particularly enjoy The Cross Inn at Paxton.
Any local businesses and/ or professional services would you like to highlight in your area?
Barmoor Castle, a private holiday park where we regularly run a pop up café.
We regularly use Buds flower shop for gifts to staff and friends.
My Little Poppy Seed have provided beautiful dried flowers for our tables inside the café.
U’ve Pulled have provided us with brilliant advice on a new venture.
Emma: We’ve recently converted a horse box to create a portable café. We took it to Berwick’s food and drink festival and it was a big hit. We’ll be taking this out a lot from the second weekend in November to the end of December, and we’re hoping to make our way around the Christmas markets (Berwick, Ford & Etal, Paxton House and Morpeth). Oh, and maybe to some pumpkin patches during October!
Finally, if you were to describe your dream home what would it look like?
Emma: I’d love a house overlooking the sea, with a country-style kitchen and a big garden with a pond. I really like the style of The White Company and would love my interiors to reflect this, although I also enjoy the occasional pop of colour.
Leonie: My dream home would be the little cottage from the movie The Holiday!
Follow Marshalls Café on Instagram here.
Follow The Flour Room on Instagram here.
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