Hello

I’m Arlene. Founder, pastry chef, and the hands behind every dessert that leaves The Lán Kitchen.

I’ve spent almost 20 years in pastry, starting out at the g Hotel in Galway before going on to cook at some of Ireland’s most loved kitchens including Ard Bia, The Pepperpot Café, and The Woollen Mills and Cloughjordan House. Along the way, I even stepped outside the kitchen to work as a wedding coordinator and a florist, and later completed a Masters in Strategy, Innovation and People Management, all experiences that feed into how I run The Lán Kitchen today.

During COVID I took the leap into freelancing. I was often working long shifts, sometimes even sleeping in my campervan outside jobs, but that freedom gave me the push I needed. I saw how many cafés and restaurants wanted high-quality desserts but lacked the space, equipment, or pastry chefs to create them in-house. That’s when The Lán Kitchen was born.

What started as a one-woman operation has grown into an award-winning wholesale bakery. In just our first year, The Lán Kitchen won Gold and Best in County at Blas na hÉireann 2023 for our Lemon & Coconut Slice. The following year, our Blackberry Treacle Tart earned another Gold in 2024.

Our ethos is simple: desserts that are beautiful, balanced, and handmade in small batches. You can taste the ingredients, see the craft, and feel the difference compared to mass-produced sweets.

Now, our mission is to make life easier for chefs, cafés, and restaurants across Ireland — bringing something a little more exciting to plates and countertops everywhere.

If you’d like to try them for yourself, please do get in touch, I’d love to arrange samples and have a chat.

Arlene x