Kowtow to the master... Wafflemeister is in the house!

Have you ever tried Sainbury’s Belgian Waffles? They glow a certain shade of yellow that reminds me of the Mercedes Benz SLK320 in sunshine yellow. God knows just how many additives they employed for you to ‘Taste the Difference’.

These had put me off waffles for life.

Until a standard post-night out stroll through South Kensington in the subzero climate, and suffering from late night munchies. A dilemma, indeed. That’s until the warm, sultry aroma teased me to look up. Like a heavenly being come to enlighten me, it smiled. It was the God of waffles, Wafflemeister.

Why am I waffling? Because these waffles are worth the waffle.

Wafflemeister’s secret recipe traces its roots back to a family in Liege, Belgium in 1950 (see the family photos in store for nostalgia). Today, it is still largely unchanged from the original, ensuring that all ingredients used are natural, GM-free with no preservatives. And if you think that there is some large factory up north churning out these waffles on an assembly line, think again. The dough (not batter!) is freshly prepared in Belgium and frozen into balls before being imported directly to all three stores in London (apart from South Kensington, Wafflemeister is also found in Embankment and Portobello Road). Once in store, the dough (complete with sugar pellets) is pressed out in the waffle iron so that the waffle you receive is warm and like no other before it. Toppings. They can also come with toppings, so please take your pick. Chocolate fudge, whipped cream, marshmallows, maybe some strawberries, blueberries or even some banana? There’s always the option to be lazy however and opt for the pre-made Wafflemeister favourites such as my favourite: Go Bananas! Wafflemeister also serves freshly made gelato that hits all the satisfaction points. News in: savoury waffles will also be made available from February, for those hungry stomachs in need of a brunch or munch. I could go on.

I’ll let you into a secret, though. The creator of Wafflemeister, Alex Troullier, first thought up the idea whilst studying his MBA at our very own Imperial College Business School. Ever walked out of Bond Street station and wonder what that sweet, almost sickly, smell is? Waffles, at the Belgian Food Company. Originally the owner in 1999, Alex was able to sell BFC on before he even graduated. He made a career in finance before deciding in 2009, to return to his waffles. Wafflemeister officially opened their first branch in Embankment, and South Kensington and Portobello Road closely followed in 2010.

I spoke to Alex to tell us more…

How did you come up with the idea of a waffle business in 1999?

I have always been very passionate about gourmet food and desserts. Back in 1999 it was impossible to find a freshly made waffle virtually anywhere in London. So I decided to set-up a business that would make them fresh in-store daily and added other delicious toppings and gelato to go with it.

Had you any experience dealing with your own business prior to this, considering it was a big step to take? And what was it like to balance the studies and BFC?

Luckily I had some previous experience from running my own company prior to joining the MBA programme. That did help considerably in setting up BFC and avoiding some of the pitfalls that come with a start-up. It was difficult to balance both work and the MBA but you somehow make it work by just adding more hours to the day. I had a great work group and business partners. That did help tremendously.

Do you have any tips for anyone wanting to start their own business?

It is not easy. Be prepared to work very, very hard and only do it if you are extremely passionate about what it is you want to do. Write an exhaustive business plan. Ask for help and free advice where and whenever possible. Try getting discounts all the time. Focus on execution and always listen to your customer.

What was the reason behind you returning to the waffles?

I love good food and after spending nearly 10 years in finance I wanted to get back to something that I was more passionate about.

After opening three stores in London, what are your plans for Wafflemeister in 2011?

We want to focus on growing local trade and our catering events business. We will add 1 or 2 stores to our UK portfolio this year and are also researching plans for opening a store in the US.

So there you have it. Walk in. Grab a seat. Watch your waffle evolve from a frozen ball of dough into a golden-brown wonder. This is no ordinary waffle, this is a Wafflemeister waffle.

Imperial College students are able to enjoy a 15% discount at the South Kensington branch for the whole of this term (until 25th March) and with the stores open 10AM until midnight, and delivery to all SW7 addresses from 6-11PM, dessert just got even sweeter. Minimum spend for delivery is £10.

Wafflemeister (South Kensington) is at 26 Cromwell Place, London SW7 2LD (next to the bus-stop).

Other stores: Embankment Stn, London WC2N 6NS and 137 Portobello Road, London W11 2DY