About Julie & Francois
Julie: Born in the coastal haven of Porthleven, from the Gilbert family of proud and skilled shipbuilders. She 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.With François it 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 Cornwall—which she opened in Scorrier in 2024 as a tribute to the aroma of home land.
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. "French elegance meets Cornish authenticity"
Francois says :
"Sourdough has to be a passion".
That’s a powerful quote from François — and it captures the soul of sourdough baking pointing out is that sourdough isn’t just a recipe; it’s a commitment. Unlike quick breads or commercial-yeast loaves, sourdough demands patience, timing, and care. Let’s unpack his words a bit:
❤️ Why Passion Matters
-Passion transforms what might feel like a burden into a ritual of care and creativity.
-Each loaf becomes a reflection of the baker’s persistence, knowledge, and devotion.
-Passion is what sustains bakers when results are imperfect, when sleep is short, when dough behaves differently day to day.With passion, though, it becomes art, science, and soul work feeding ones vision
-Passion of their trade, a search for excellence and constant innovation are the fuel that keeps Sourdough bakers making exceptional bread in line with the French tradition of Boulangerie.
Bon Appétit !