Tayo Bolodeoku, is a Le Cordon Bleu trained pastry chef and the founder of the highly sought-after baked goods and gelato brand- HansandRené. Hans and René is Nigeria’s very first ‘made in Nigeria’ gelataria. Tayo has a first degree in Accounting from Webster University, London and a Masters in Business Administration from Sunderland University, She found her love for baking during a difficult time in her life when her twin sons were diagnosed with autism. As a result, the name, Hans & Rene, was coined as a derivative from her twin sons’ names.
What Does Hans and Rene mean?
I get asked all the time if Hans and René is a foreign company. It is the funny derivative of names of my twin sons – Folahan and Folarin (Hans & Rene)
On the Distinction between Gelato and Ice-Cream
Gelato is different from ice cream, but to a lay man, they are the same. For you to legally call something ice cream, it has to have 10 percent fat. Gelato can be milk-based or fruit-based.
On How Hans and Rene Started
The idea for a Gelataria was a no brainer from inception; it just took five years to execute. Our passion for all things sweet meant that we just had to create a space where people could come and enjoy. A place that people could feast both their eyes and their palates. We have good weather in Nigeria for Gelato and ice cream. I decided that if I was going to do it and do it well I had to learn from the very best.
So, I went to Italy because they produced the best ice cream and ice cream machine in the world. I went to Caprigiani Gelato University in Italy. In May 2015, we opened the first Gelataria in Lagos. And in December 2015, we added two more locations; produced from our flagship, and delivered closer to you. In 2017, we opened two more outlets in Lekki. First was our mini outlet at IMAX Film House, just for our movie lovers and in December 2017, we opened an outlet at the Upbeat Recreational Centre.
Hans and René which was conceived in a small kitchen, has since grown into six outlets scattered across the city of Lagos in just over 9 years. It also boasts of a growing team of over 100 staff.
Culled from TheNationonline
