Claire Ptak

A California native, Claire Ptak worked as Pastry Chef for Alice Waters’ iconic farm to table restaurant Chez Panisse before moving to London, where she started her cake stall Violet on Broadway Market in 2005. In 2010 she opened Violet, the bakery and café in fashionable East London. Claire has authored five cookbooks; most recently ‘Love is a Pink Cake’ (2023) which marries her two homes – California and England – to create a romantic and dreamy selection of seasonal bakes. Her previous book ‘The Violet Bakery Cookbook’ was shortlisted for the Fortnum & Mason Best Cookery Book 2016. In 2018, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry personally chose Claire to make their wedding cake putting Claire on in international stage and initiating a new flavour trend with Claire’s combination of Amalfi Lemon & Elderflower, breaking from hundreds of years of Royal traditional fruit cake wedding cakes. Her signature, loose swoops of buttercream decoration, has become a style in its own right. It can be seen on cakes made all over the world. A regular contributor to Observer Food Monthly and The Guardian, Claire’s work has also been featured in VOGUE, New York Times Style, Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, Bon Appetit and beyond. A tastemaker and highly sought-after consultant, Claire also works with hotels and restaurants around the world, and is a long-time guest teacher at Darina Allan’s Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork, Ireland. Claire recently co-hosted a sold-out book event with fellow American Chef Claire Saffitz at The Standard, London, and as part of her recent book tour collaborated with Corner Bar in New York, The Georgian in Los Angeles, and Contramar in Mexico City. Her influence extends outside the culinary world, having recently partnered with friend of Violet and beloved London fashion designer Christopher Kane to produce a run of three-times sold-out ‘More Cake’ tote bags.