Author: Emilia Kluczyńska
Hi, I’m Emilia. If you’ve ever had one of my cakes or desserts, you already know this: I don’t just bake to fill a table. I bake to feed people emotionally. Every dessert I make has a story behind it, and I’m grateful to share a bit of mine here – especially now that my sweets have found their way to birthday celebrations, castle weddings, and unique corporate retreats at places like The Palace at Osowa Sien.
From the first bite of Emilia’s dessert, I knew her baking was something special—not just in flavor, but in feeling. Her approach is seasonal, thoughtful, and deeply personal. We met in 2018, at a café she was running in Leszno—a charming town in western Poland. Since then, we’ve worked together on countless events, sharing ideas, coffee, and many behind-the-scenes moments. Most guests don’t meet Emilia—she’s usually quietly setting up or dropping off her creations. But her work speaks volumes. And her story deserves to be shared. — Jamie Patterson, The Palace at Osowa Sien
My pastry journey didn’t begin with sugar or flour. About two decades ago, I was studying interior architecture, sketching spaces instead of piping buttercream. But life had other plans. I found myself working in hospitality while going to school – waitressing, making coffee, and often playing the role of lunchtime therapist. Somewhere between taking orders and wiping tables, I discovered I loved caring for people through food.
It wasn’t a decision I made overnight. It was more of a slow unraveling – a realization that I felt most alive when creating food that made people feel something.
The dream of owning a café or restaurant grew over time. But I knew I didn’t want to just skip to the pretty parts. I wanted to understand it all – from guest service to marketing to the very heart of the operation: the kitchen. And once I got in there, I fell head over heels for pastry. The way it combined structure, artistry, and joy felt like the perfect match – not so different from interior design, really, just tastier and a little more ephemeral.
Curiosity led me abroad. I wanted real, hands-on experience — the kind that doesn’t come from books alone or staying in one place forever. So I spent six years in the U.S., working in busy kitchens, learning on the fly, and absorbing a whole range of culinary styles. The U.S. definitely knows how to make a great mac & cheese, burger, steak, or red velvet cake (the latter of which, Emilia chose as her pastry studio namesake) — rich, bold comfort food with big personalities. But over time, I started to miss the ingredient-first mindset I grew up with in Europe.
That said, when it comes to culinary quality and respect for ingredients, Vancouver — and perhaps, Canada more broadly — really stood out to me. What fascinated me most about life there was how deeply people are connected to nature. That harmony showed up everywhere — especially on their plates. Dishes were often simple, even minimalist, but made with incredible attention to the quality of each ingredient. It reminded me that food doesn’t need to be complicated to be deeply satisfying.
It was in Canada that things truly crystallized. I studied Baking and Pastry Arts at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver, waking up at 4 AM with a smile on my face, heading to class from 6 to 3, then going straight to work until late at night. It was a constant grind — and I loved it.
Vancouver was a city of rain and ambition. On the bus rides to class, I’d read cookbooks and imagine textures, flavors — I’d daydream about how pastry could be expressive in its simplicity — how the right butter, the perfect ratio, or even the temperature of a sponge could change everything. Weekends were just as packed: I worked for the Glowbal Group (the team behind some of Vancity’s most iconic and upscale restaurants, for Thomas Haas’s renowned patisseries in North Vancouver, and even with Wolfgang Puck’s team, who’ve held the exclusive catering rights for the Oscars for over 30 years.
It was exhausting. It was exhilarating. It was entirely worth it.
For me, tradition and authenticity are inseparable. I love old recipes. They take me back to my grandmother’s kitchen in the Polish countryside — where the scent of late-night yeast baking drifted from the brick stove, and life moved with the pace of the farm. Mornings were for gathering eggs from the chicken coop; evenings ended with a ladle of fresh milk after milking the cows. We made slow-cooked soups with field vegetables and backyard chickens, and harvested plums, raspberries, Antonovka apples, and Conference pears from the orchard. Those early memories shaped the way I think about food: grounded in care, seasonality, and place. Traditional flavors carry emotion — they’re what make food feel real, personal, and unforgettably comforting!
I don’t have a single favorite. I love any method that leads to that “wow” moment– when someone takes a bite and then their whole face changes and they’re in awe. That’s my goal every time. I bake the way I want to be fed: generously, intentionally, and with lots of love.
I once created a cake for an archaeologist inspired by his excavation site. It featured edible "soil," a tiny brush, and hidden remains of a bull named Bernard. He got to dig through the cake himself before eating it. Projects like that remind me why I love what I do.
And when I create dessert tables for events at a private estate or castle, such as The Palace at Osowa Sien, I think not just about flavor, but about the visual poetry of it all – the colors, textures, and mood of the table itself. A dessert should belong in the room. It should feel like it’s always been there.
Just recently, I designed a sweet-and-salty dessert table for a couple from the U.S. – a west-coast crowd with a serious love for flavor and zero interest in convention. No wedding cake, no white dress. Instead, we filled a ten foot / three-meter-long oak table layered with seasonal blooms, soft candlelight, and heavy wooden boards displaying tiered trays and pedestal dishes. On them? Chocolate-salted caramel mono portions done up to look like large, seasonal berries, pistachio tiramisu cups, rustic pear-ginger-pepper tartlet, apple pie topped with crunchy meringue, and buttered popcorn with flakes of Maldon sea salt. It looked and tasted like magic – familiar, unexpected, and enticing.
That means every order is a one-of-a-kind collaboration, never something pulled from a shelf. My core menu includes traditional Polish cakes, modern mousse-based desserts, international classics, and custom celebration pieces for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and company events.
From layered tortes to delicate mousse cups, rustic tartlets to fully styled dessert tables, I offer a wide range of made-to-order sweets tailored to your occasion, your vision, and your flavor preferences.
Absolutely. I’ve developed a full vegan menu that’s gained a loyal following – not because it’s “missing” anything, but because it’s that good. Think rich hazelnut flours, aromatic coconut oil, and thoughtfully balanced flavors that speak for themselves. Whether it’s gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, or a unique combination of needs, every dessert is made with the same intention and creativity.
Seasonality is everything to me. I let nature lead the way – juicy summer fruits, speaking of which, I’ve got some strawberry & elderflower macarons to bake for a wedding soon, and then there’s the warming autumn spices, bright spring florals, or winter’s deep and rich flavor comforts. I decorate using fresh flowers, chocolate curls, wafer paper, sugar paste, and buttercream rosettes in the Lambert style. Naked cakes are especially popular for castle weddings and weekend garden parties, and yes – I do custom and themed decor too — hand-painted or sculpted details that turn desserts into something one-of-a-kind. Late last summer, for example, I made lemon meringue macarons for a Tuscan-inspired wedding and hand-painted each one with tiny yellow lemons. They were a surprise element on the dessert table — and an instant hit.
And no matter what’s baking, I always use high-quality ingredients—sourced locally whenever possible. Think: local eggs, full-fat all-natural butter, flour from a nearby mill, and fresh seasonal fruit—often picked from a friend’s, family member’s, or neighbour’s orchard, or brought home from the Leszno farmer’s market. Not to mention plenty of local honey—a beloved Polish heritage ingredient that’s far more diverse than most people realize. The range of colours, flavours, and textures is simply delightful—and as a bonus, it’s good for you too.
That’s an easy one: strawberries and elderflower. Every late spring and early summer, I return to this phenomenal combo. It’s deeply Polish, incredibly seasonal, and bursting with flavour (and aroma!) that makes you pause and say, “Wow—what was that? I need more.
If you’re planning a celebration – whether it’s an intimate castle wedding in Greater Poland, Lubus, or Lower Silesia or a milestone birthday at home – I’d love to hear from you.
To get started, just reach out by phone or email and tell me:
The earlier we connect, the better the chances I’ll be available. Every detail helps me create something truly tailored to your celebration. Because desserts should never be one-size-fits-all.
Have a sweet vision you’d like to bring to life? I’d love to hear from you.
Phone: +48 697 190 948
Email: emiliakluczynska@wp.pl
Instagram: @redvelvetleszno
Before we wrap up, here’s a little something I get asked about often – bento cakes. These cute, lunchbox-sized treats have taken social media by storm, and for good reason.
Start by baking a small sponge in a ring mold or regular tin. Cut it to size and fill it with your favorite cream. Wrap it tightly in cake foil and let it rest in the fridge overnight. On day two, frost it with buttercream or white chocolate ganache, then decorate however your heart desires.
It’s like building a house – every step matters. Rush it, and it won’t be stable. But give it care and attention, and it’ll be just as charming as it is delicious.
Thanks for reading – I hope our paths cross over something sweet soon.
