Sana Pishgoo, owner of Shiraz Patisserie in north London, is known for her Iranian cakes and coffee. She started her business in 2021, naming it after her home city of Shiraz, Iran. Pishgoo was once the first woman to get a cafe license in Shiraz.
Her life changed after a divorce in 2013. Iranian law gave her husband custody of their daughter. After a legal battle, Pishgoo regained custody but feared future issues. She fled to the U.K. as a refugee in 2015.
Finding a New Path
As a refugee, Pishgoo accessed free training. She earned qualifications in cooking and baking. She worked at a bakery but lost her job during the 2020 pandemic. Her boss suggested another free training program: learning to make coffee.
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Start Your News DetoxPishgoo joined a barista course at Well Grounded. This social enterprise helps unemployed people find jobs in the coffee industry. The course teaches coffee making and other career options, like sourcing beans or becoming a coffee grader. It also includes shifts at real cafes and job applications within Well Grounded's network.
The Well Grounded course gave Pishgoo the skills and confidence to open her own cafe again. She used her savings and got support from friends. Shiraz Patisserie is now a popular spot, especially for London's Iranian community. Pishgoo bakes authentic Persian sweets like nokodchi chickpea cookies and kolompeh date and walnut cookies.
Well Grounded's Impact
Well Grounded has trained 1,200 people since it started 10 years ago. It now has training academies in London, Bristol, and Leeds. About 77% of graduates find steady work or continue their education. The organization also offers free advanced courses, supported by corporate and government funds.
Eve Wagg, Well Grounded's founder and CEO, wanted to combine practical training with clear career paths. She saw a need to help solve the U.K.'s rising unemployment. The country's unemployment rate has been increasing since 2022.
Courtesy of Well Grounded
Wagg notes that their academies offer a safe learning space. Many people may have been out of work or school for a while. She also explains that working with specialty coffee requires a lot of skill. Specialty coffee beans score 80 or higher on a 100-point quality scale. Customers expect high quality, especially with rising coffee prices.
New Opportunities
Abdul Hasib, 25, struggled to find a job after caring for his mom for 10 years. He lacked work experience and basic application skills. He sent about 100 unsuccessful job applications.
His brother saw a digital flyer for Well Grounded and suggested he apply. Hasib completed the program last year. He now works three days a week at The Exchange Hub, a community cafe in north west London. This allows him to continue supporting his mom.
Courtesy of Abdul Hasib
Hasib runs the coffee bar on his own, thanks to the training. He feels he can now help others in his community. He believes experiencing challenges builds strength.
Back at Shiraz Patisserie, Pishgoo creates new Iranian and European fusion recipes. Her black sesame tea and tahini cake and barberry and saffron cake are popular. Her pistachio and chocolate ganache cake is a best seller. Her daughter, now at Oxford University, has requested a mango cake for her birthday. Pishgoo considers her daughter and her business her biggest achievements.
