Five little reasons behind it all.
Five Little Bakes began with five little reasons: my five children. They are the five behind the name, and the M · J · K · L · H in our logo quietly represents each of them.
I’m their Dad and a Head Chef. Food has been my working life for years, but after years spent cooking professionally I wanted to create something more personal, something that felt like ours.
And if we are telling our family story properly, Mum belongs in it too.
A little more behind the name
In December 2025, Mum passed away following her struggle with alcohol addiction.
That is part of our story, but it is not the whole of hers. She was Mum first, and she will always be part of the children, their memories and the family behind Five Little Bakes.
Alcohol addiction affected all of us in different ways, and that experience is part of why we want to leave a small signpost here for other families who may need support.
In the months that followed, I found myself thinking more about the future and about creating something positive for us. Baking was already part of my life, and Five Little Bakes slowly started to take shape.
That is really what sits behind Five Little Bakes: family, food, memories, difficult days, better days and the hope of building something good together.
Classic favourites. Chef creativity.
Our launch menu keeps things simple.
The Five Classic Bakes Box is the familiar side of Five Little Bakes: proper traybakes, nostalgic flavours and the sort of treats that disappear quickly once the kettle goes on.
The Five Chefs Bakes Box is where the chef in me gets a little more room to play, with bolder flavour combinations, twists on familiar favourites and new ideas earning their place in each Drop.
Different boxes, same idea: small batches, proper flavour and five bakes made to be shared.
Why Guinness 0.0?
Dads Guinness 0.0 Wheaten Bread has its own place in the story.
Long before Five Little Bakes, wheaten already had its own little place in our family. Every so often Mum would ask me to bake her a fresh loaf, so it is one of those bakes that carries a few memories with it.
We wanted the dark, malty character Guinness brings to a wheaten. Given our family’s experience with alcohol addiction, using Guinness 0.0 simply felt like the right choice for us.
It gives the loaf the flavour we wanted while making it something we feel comfortable and proud to put our name to.
A little loaf that gives something back
Our connection to TinyLife comes from another part of our family story. Our eldest arrived 10 weeks early.
TinyLife supports families of premature and sick babies across Northern Ireland, from the neonatal unit through to support at home and in the community. Because prematurity is part of our story too, we wanted this particular family bake to give a little something back.
£1 from every Dads Guinness 0.0 Wheaten Bread sold is donated to TinyLife.
Visit TinyLife · TinyLife support for families
If alcohol has affected your family
If our story feels familiar to you, you do not have to navigate it alone.
If someone else’s drinking is affecting, or has affected, your life, Al-Anon Family Groups UK & Eire offers support. Their confidential UK helpline is 0800 0086 811.
Closer to home, Family Support NI has information on alcohol, drug misuse and family support services across Northern Ireland.
We have included these links simply in case they help someone who needs them.
Made with love. Made to share.
Five Little Bakes is a little piece of our family story, carried forward through food, love and a lot of baking.
Dad, five children, Mum always part of us, and something good we are building together.
M · J · K · L · H
Five little reasons behind it all.