Teenager opens café at Cork crossroads

It’s 5.30am when Sarah Salvin officially starts work. But that doesn’t faze the 18-year-old, who has ‘come of age’ opening her very own café - Sarah at the Crossroads at Bregoge, near Buttevant.

“I don’t mind getting up so early!” says Sarah, who has taken over the kitchen space at the former Crossroads pub.

“I’m all sorted and ready to go!”

She busies herself before dawn getting ready to open for business.

“I like to get organised quickly,” says Sarah.

“It’s important to have all the morning’s fresh baking goods to go and well presented.”

Sifting, stirring, whipping up butter and sugar, rolling dough, and chopping vegetables, Sarah transforms sloppy and dry ingredients into mouth-watering creations: sponges, pastries, delicious soups, toasties, salads, quiches, as well as a dish of the day.

Are people dancing at the crossroads, delighted and excited by Sarah’s tasty offerings?

Well, I am very excited starting my new venture and all my customers seem very enthusiastic!

Sarah from Buttevant, is the owner, accountant, head chef, baker, barista, and chief bottle washer at her lovely new venue in North Cork.

Does any of that daunt her?

“No,” says Sarah. “All is good. Dad is around to give me a hand if I need it, like business advice!”

Sarah’s café is a bustling, busy lunch and brunch hub, saturated in the wonderful scents of butter, flour, vanilla and chocolate, reminiscent of your granny’s baking. Her home- made cakes and scones are second to none.

Where or how did Sarah learn to bake such scrumptious treats?

“I grew a grá for food as a teenager,” says Sarah.

So did both her grannies.

“My nana in Wales had a café and she was a great baker,” says Sarah.

In the summer holidays, I would go over to Wales to see her and watch her baking and cooking in her kitchen.

“My other granny, mam’s mam, was a brilliant baker. She didn’t even have to weigh out the ingredients; she just threw everything in and her bread, cakes and pastries all turned out perfect!”

Baking and cooking is in Sarah’s genes.

“I did Home Economics in school, but I am self-taught,” says Sarah.

She is a natural at her chosen profession.

“I first started a small business from home baking custom birthday cakes to order.”

She used her time wisely.

“There was no transition year work experience available because of Covid,” says Sarah.

I was interested in cakes, so I wanted to see if there was any interest in birthday cakes. There was. So I kept going. People seemed to like my baking.

Sarah honed her baking skills after developing a passion for baking.

“I worked as a pastry chef in the kitchen of Springfort Hall Hotel in Mallow,” says Sarah.

“Working there gave me valuable experience inside the kitchen, which was great. The kitchen was very busy, I learnt so much there. It was an amazing opportunity.”

Another opportunity came Sarah’s way.

“Dad knew the owner of the bar at Bregoge, John Buckley,” says Sarah.

“John was asking my dad one night what I was thinking of doing after my Leaving Cert. I wasn’t going to college.

“John suggested I use his kitchen space to operate a café and see how it goes.

Taking on the café was a spur of the moment decision.

It was a good decision too.

“I always wanted to have my own place,” says Sarah.

“When the chance came to open up my own café, I went for it.”

She took everything on board starting her own business.

“It’s been a busy few weeks organising my small but brilliant team, going furniture shopping, and painting the café to get ready for opening. My biggest decision was to choose the right coffee to sell.”

Tasting the strong, smooth, flavoursome coffee, Sarah has evidently made the right call.

“I went for Soma coffee,” she says. “The lads came out to Buttevant to train me up.”

They trained her up to make the best cuppa.

Now, what’s the best choice to compliment the best cuppa?

“Have a white chocolate cupcake or a brownie,” suggests Sarah.

Decision, decisions... I made the right one. The white chocolate cupcake melts in the mouth, making all thoughts of surplus calories disappear.

“The cupcakes are very popular,” says Sarah.

They are a great seller, like the brownies are.

How would Sarah sell the idea of taking the plunge and opening new businesses when so many are closing down to her peers?

“I would say, just do it. Go with the flow. Everything will figure itself out.”

The people of North Cork have figured out that Sarah At The Crossroads is a fantastic venue to stop off and enjoy delicious home-made food from a self-taught chef and baker.

“The support from the local community has been unbelievable,” says Sarah.

No doubt this 18-year-old entrepreneur, with drive, enthusiasm and self-belief, will soon be a self-made woman.

She made the right decision.

Sarah At The Crossroads is open every week, Wednesday to Sunday, 9am-4pm.