One of our very first customers has just opened a cookie shop in London, and it's already on my must-visit list each time I go to South Kensington.
Ludwig Paillier is the founder behind Laura Todd London: classic American cookies, thin, soft and gooey, with a Parisian twist. As a mum of boys who's always on the lookout for a good goûter (afternoon treat) when I'm working in central London, I had a feeling these would make the list. So I sat down with Ludwig to find out more.
Hélène: Can you please tell us a bit about you and the Laura Todd cookies?
Ludwig: I'm Ludwig, a dad of two teens, originally from La Rochelle in France. I moved to London in 2000 to launch a catering business and fell in love with the city almost instantly. Last year I felt the pull to return to my entrepreneurial roots, combining my passion for food with my love for London.
That's when I met the team at Laura Todd Paris and tasted their cookies for the first time. It took me straight back to my student days in the US, running the cookie station at my campus bakery! [...] We've stayed true to the authentic 1930s American recipes, thin, soft, and wonderfully gooey, just as Laura Todd herself baked them. And then we add a little Parisian twist, like a praline ganache made with roasted hazelnuts from Lot-et-Garonne. No compromise on ingredients, ever.
H: You are a Hélène Elisabeth Jewellery customer but what did you purchase from us?
L: It was my wife's birthday, and I chose a pair of earrings and a bracelet for her. I was immediately drawn to the earrings' originality, and I liked how the bracelet complemented them so naturally. [...] What I really appreciate about Hélène Elisabeth Jewellery is that you can genuinely feel the passion and craftsmanship behind each piece. There's a beautiful balance between Parisian elegance and London creativity that makes the brand feel both refined and contemporary.
H: A cookie and a piece of jewellery are very different things, yet both can create a special feeling when given as a gift. What do you think makes a gift truly memorable?
L: A memorable gift goes beyond the object itself. It's about the intention behind it, that moment when you choose something with a specific person in mind and it just feels right. Whether it's a cookie or a piece of jewellery, what stays with people is the feeling it creates: that sense of being understood and thought of.
H: What's next for Laura Todd in London?
We've just opened our first shop right outside Gloucester Road station, in a beautiful listed building, and it already feels like the perfect home for the brand. From here, the focus is on introducing more Londoners to this Parisian-American cookie and coffee experience, while staying true to the quality that defines Laura Todd. Come and find us!
Laura Todd is open daily 6.30am–6.30pm at 136 Gloucester Road, London SW7 4SF. Also online at lauratodd.uk.
