MISS MACAROON IN THE HUFFINGTON POST
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The Instagram-Perfect Macaroons Helping Unemployed People Back To Work
“You start with whipped egg whites, fold ground almonds and icing sugar through and then bake those into shells. When you take a bite, you go into a soft interior and a creamy middle – three textures and a punchy hit of flavour.”
Rosie Ginday, founder and managing director of Miss Macaroon, is lyrical about the fine confections in which she deals. Hers is the only patisserie in the world that can Pantone colour match her creations – the result of her fine art degree – leading to commissions from fashion houses such as Prada and Karl Largerfeld. But the delicate treat is half of the story.
Beyond the pastel-coloured prettiness, this social enterprise also trains unemployed people aged 18-35 – often young people experiencing difficulties – in kitchen and workplace skills. All profits from Ginday’s business are reinvested in training; 43 people have benefited from the scheme since Miss Macaroon’s pilot course in 2011.
Her work saw Ginday invited to the Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex: “It was a beautiful day and it felt like a personal celebration,” she says.
Macaroon Inspiration
Inspiration for the business came from Ginday’s first job. Waiting on tables in her home city of Coventry, she’d find herself chatting to homeless people as she waited to be picked up at the end of her shift. “I got to know a couple of people and one young guy’s story really resonated with me,” she says. “He went to uni, and his mum passed away in a house fire. He fell to pieces and suffered with mental health problems and I thought: ‘If that was me, I’d feel exactly the same way.’ ”
Read the full article here: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/the-instagram-perfect-macaroons-helping-unemployed-people-back-to-work_uk_5b349c09e4b0cb56051f47d6