How a mint Aero cheesecake and a Bake Off obsession inspired a Belfast man to ditch the office and follow his dream

It’s hard to believe Belfast Cheesecake Co started around 10 years ago – some days, it still feels like just yesterday that I was working in insurance claims, daydreaming about baking.

I’ve always been a huge fan of The Great British Bake Off, but I never imagined I had the skills for what people call “proper baking”. That changed one day when a colleague brought a mint Aero cheesecake into the office. When I heard how simple the recipe was, I thought, even I could give that a go.

So I did and to my surprise, my colleagues loved it. Then family and friends started putting in requests. Eventually, I kept hearing the same thing: “You should be selling these”. That’s how it all began. I set up a Facebook page under the name Death by Cheesecake, and what started as a little side hustle began to grow.

At the time, I was still working full-time, baking in the evenings and weekends. I started selling at Newtownards Market every Saturday, and soon a few local cafes and restaurants began stocking my cheesecakes. That’s when I decided to rebrand as Belfast Cheesecake Co – something a bit less gimmicky and a lot more local.

Things really took off when I got a permanent stall at St George’s Market. From Friday to Sunday, I was there every week, chatting with customers and fellow traders – some of whom have become lifelong friends. I was still baking in a tiny galley kitchen back then, with fridges squeezed into every spare corner of the house. But eventually, I was able to move into a shared commercial kitchen, which opened the door to growing the wholesale side of the business.

From the beginning, I dreamed of opening a proper cheesecake shop, like a donut place where you walk in and pick from a full display. But between property prices and finding the right location, it always felt just out of reach. So I leaned into wholesale, supplying retail and hospitality clients across Belfast.

Then not long ago, I spotted a property online that just felt right. It was in East Belfast, where I was born and raised, and after spending about a year based in Dundonald, it felt like coming home. We've now been open at Holywood Arches for just over seven weeks, and I still can't quite believe how well it’s going. I’ve already had people placing Christmas orders – yes, really! Last year, the Christmas booking list opened in July and filled in just two hours with over 140 orders.

One of the best parts of having the shop is seeing both familiar and new faces come through the door. I’m incredibly lucky to have such a loyal customer base, some have been with me since day one, and I never take that support for granted. This business wouldn’t be where it is today without them.

Of course, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. There have been challenges like relocating, sourcing packaging, rising costs, and a fair bit of self-doubt. That little voice saying, Can I really do this? or It’s only cheesecake…! But over time, I’ve learned that hard work, persistence, and a bit of belief in yourself can take you a long way. I’ve also been lucky to have a brilliant team. There are now seven of us between the shop and our delivery drivers.

The plan now is to keep building on what we’ve created and experiment with fun new ideas like cheesecake-filled donuts and croissants! I’ve even just announced the purchase of a second venue to keep up with demand..the thing is mad!

I work more now than I ever did before, but being your own boss, answering only to yourself – it’s a different kind of work...! You could say swapping spreadsheets for cream cheese is so much more rewarding!

I’ve had unbelievable support from family, friends, loyal customers, and fellow local businesses. And if you’re thinking about starting something of your own, I always say: go for it.

You never know where it might lead. Even if it doesn’t go exactly to plan, at least you can say you gave it a shot. Believe in yourself, and don’t be afraid to ask for help – people are often more willing to support you than you’d think.