Meet Head of Pastry - Andreia Santos
Andreia’s earliest memory of inspiring to become a chef traces back to being a young girl baking fresh bread, biscuits, and cakes for breakfast with her great-grandmother in Moura, a quaint town in south Portugal.
“One of my cherished memories is witnessing the bakers in action, effortlessly displaying their craft with skill and ease. As cooking and baking are ingrained in our culture, I found myself drawn to spend as much time as possible in the kitchen with her. The warmth of those childhood moments continues to fuel my culinary journey.”
A Remarkable Culinary Journey
At the age of 18, Andreia embarked on an intensive two-year pastry management course which was quickly followed by an internship at the 5-star resort the Ritz Carlton Penha-Longa in Sintra, Portugal. This experience fueled a desire to explore and led to roles in prestigious locations such as Pestana Porto Santo in Madeira, a high-end bakery in the Azores, and an intriguing term in Angola, Africa. And was allured to Fortnum and Mason in London where an appreciation for the British culinary tradition took root.
Andreia joined the team at Saunton Sands Hotel back in January 2018, where she has devoted more than six years to crafting desserts.
“Saunton Sands feels like home, a family that I’m proud to be a part of. I love to make afternoon tea cakes. We change with the seasons and it’s always my proudest creation.”