Julie: Born in the coastal haven of Porthleven, from the Gilbert family of proud and skilled shipbuilders, Julie has always carried the love of her homeland in her heart. Now, she’s back where the sea sings the songs of her childhood, embracing the land she adores.

Her life with François has been a journey painted with love—years in Corsica, Provence, the Ivory Coast, and Switzerland, each place adding new colours to their shared story. Returning to the UK, she poured her knowledge for people and community into her role as Regional Manager for a large care group in London. Cornish tradition saw the birth of Peber—“Bakery” in Cornish—which she opened in Scorrier in 2024 as a tribute to the aroma of home.

François: His life has always been flavoured with the love for food. From running bustling restaurants to creating the “French Bakery” group in Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Chesham, and Amersham, every loaf, pastry, and plate carried a piece of his passion.

François loves Cornwall deeply—it whispers to him of his beloved Corsican island, with its rugged beauty, its sea air, and its way of making you feel at home the moment you arrive.