Our team is a diverse group of people who love Edmonton and are all dedicated to providing exceptional pastries and service.
Our collaborative kitchen management team brings several years of experience to our kitchen. Patricia, Runa, and Andrea are the backbone of Duchess and are focused on bringing delicious, quality pastries to Edmontonians.
Melanie is the Office Manager at our 124th Street location. She joined us in 2018 as a front of house team member. Melanie keeps the bake shop organized and is beloved by the entire team.
Sharileen is our resident pie queen and creator of the Sour Cream Cherry Pie—a Duchess classic since day one. Sharileen was the first person hired at the bake shop and is adored by our customers and staff. She's worked in the front of house, kitchen and Provisions. She's an amazing baker, a hilarious jokester and a very talented home baker.
Katie is born and raised in Edmonton. She’s a graduate of the Baking and Pastry program at SAIT and also holds an Architectural Technologist diploma from NAIT. She’s been with Duchess Bake Shop for over five years and has worked in both our pastry kitchen and Provisions. Katie loves to share her baking knowledge with our students and is our resident expert when it comes to baking techniques and the science behind recipes. When she’s not teaching in Atelier, Katie likes camping in her cute retro-camper, cross-stitching, and spending time with her family and fur babies.
Taking inspiration from his time in Tokyo and his love of food and coffee, Garner finally realized his dreams of opening a café and bakery in 2009 in his hometown of Edmonton. Since opening the Bake Shop with former co-founder Giselle, Garner has played a large role in running the café, brand development, and community building. He is devoted to the business he helped build from the ground up and is proud of the hard-working team behind Duchess. Garner sits on several boards, including for the 124th Street Business Association and the Edmonton Opera, and plays an active role in the local community.
Partners Ewa and Jay were both born and raised in Edmonton and have diverse backgrounds in food and retail. Ewa is a trained Interior Designer and has worked on many commercial spaces in and around Edmonton. In 2014 she founded neat inc., a residential cleaning company she operated for 8 years. Jay is an experienced entrepreneur and co-owner in Oodle Noodle Group, the Nation Network, and River Valley Company (Little Brick, Dogpatch, and Bread + Butter Bakery). His passion for Edmonton and his community shines through the diverse projects he takes on, and it’s been said that no one loves Edmonton more than Jay! Ewa and Jay are deeply committed to Duchess Bake Shop and continue to bring you the quality, experience, and world-class pastries it’s long been known for.
Founders Giselle and Garner opened Duchess Bake Shop in 2009, with Jacob joining the team shortly after. Jacob Executive Pastry Chef and Giselle head of Duchess Atelier served the business for 13 years. In early 2022 they decided it was time to leave the business to focus on their children, families, and new adventures. Giselle is an Appetite by Random House author, and both her books featuring Duchess Bake Shop recipes and her home recipes can be purchased at the 124th Street and Ritchie Market locations.