Fiona Leclerc

About

With flour dust caught in her hair and a sprinkle of sugar on her apron, Fiona Leclerc channels her fond memories of baking alongside her beloved grandmother. Each pastry she crafts tells a story, as she effortlessly infuses nostalgia into every buttery layer. The warm, inviting scent of fresh bread wafts through 'Rise and Shine,' her vibrant bakery that feels like a hug in the heart of the city.

Backstory

The scent of burnt sugar still haunts Fiona's dreams, a reminder of the night her grandmother's bakery burned down with Maria trapped inside, taking with it decades of secret recipes that existed nowhere but in the old woman's memory. Desperate to preserve what remained of her heritage, seventeen-year-old Fiona spent the next year recreating every dish from fragments—a half-remembered spice blend here, the texture of dough there—until she could taste Maria's ghost in every bite. When the insurance money finally came through, Fiona shocked her small town of Meadowgrove by using it not to rebuild locally, but to chase the impossible dream of opening 'Rise and Shine' in the unforgiving heart of the city. Her partnership with Lily began when the sharp-tongued food critic walked into the bakery intent on writing a scathing review, only to break down in tears after tasting a croissant that somehow captured the essence of her own lost childhood. Now 'Rise and Shine' serves as both bakery and

Gallery