# Ramsay's Bad Boy Bakery cakes from Brixton prison



## editor (Jul 18, 2012)

Good to see Caffe Nero stocking them. They were *well* tasty too!













http://www.urban75.org/blog/we-bite-into-a-bad-boys-bakery-cake-from-brixton-prison/


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## snowy_again (Jul 18, 2012)

You know that programme is 50% artificial don't you?


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## teuchter (Jul 18, 2012)

snowy_again said:


> You know that programme is 50% artificial don't you?


 
How so?


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## joustmaster (Jul 18, 2012)

photoshopped


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## Rushy (Jul 18, 2012)

Great idea and project. 
I have some initial reservations about the branding. It is fun and appealing and I'd buy it but not convinced whether bigging up being a Bad Boy is a entirely in line with the project aims.

Fine Cell is another superb venture.


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## editor (Jul 18, 2012)

snowy_again said:


> You know that programme is 50% artificial don't you?


Link please.

Here's a Guardian article:


> The prison eventually called a halt to Ramsay's visits to the wings, on account of the disruption. But 11 branches of Caffè Nero in London now stock Bad Boys' Bakery's cakes and wraps, and if all goes well the kitchen will be financially viable and continue to operate long after the show has aired. I met some of the inmates, one of whom had never cooked so much as "a bowl of cereal" until he met Ramsay, and their enthusiasm was both palpable and touching. This is reality TV with a conscience, more concerned with rehabilitation than fine dining, and in that respect feels closer to Jamie Oliver territory than the usual Ramsay TV fare. The project's purpose is both impressive and quite simple – to give repeat offenders an employable skill they can use on the outside, to keep them from winding up inside yet again...
> 
> 
> He doesn't appear to have enjoyed it much, though. "From day one, just sat in that fucking waiting room, trying to get in, with no phone, and then being treated like a piece of shit. Everything was going against me; the system was completely screwed, the governor was treating me like one of his bitches. And I was banging my head against a brick wall."
> ...


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## editor (Jul 18, 2012)

Rushy said:


> Great idea and project.
> I have some initial reservations about the branding. It is fun and appealing and I'd buy it but not convinced whether bigging up being a Bad Boy is a entirely in line with the project aims.
> 
> Fine Cell is another superb venture.


Well, if you're in prison you generally are a bad boy, and I think the name is catchy and distinctive enough to stand out. I was full of reservations at first, but I think the project is a great idea.


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## Rushy (Jul 18, 2012)

editor said:


> Well, if you're in prison you generally are a bad boy, and I think the name is catchy and distinctive enough to stand out. I was full of reservations at first, but I think the project is a great idea.


I'd like to think that you are in prison because you have *been* a bad boy - and that the project is about giving people a sense of worth and helping them to not be bad boys.

Other than that, yes it is catchy and distinctive and memorable and in a good cause. I'm sure it will do well.


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## maldwyn (Jul 18, 2012)

Couldn't they give their products catchy names too: Batteredburg, SwissCottageRolled etc


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## WouldBe (Jul 18, 2012)

Aren't you supposed to smuggle things *into* prison baked in cakes, not the other way round?


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## Brixton Hatter (Jul 18, 2012)

snowy_again said:


> You know that programme is 50% artificial don't you?


 


teuchter said:


> How so?


IIRC someone was on here saying their mates (who weren't in HMP Brixton) had been auditioned for the show. I assumed they were partly using people just let out on probation, but it was never confirmed...


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## mack (Jul 18, 2012)

I was in Nero the other day when a customer asked one of the Baristas for a Bad Boy cake, should have seen the look on her face!

Anyway are these the Lemon drizzle cakes? No doubt made with the prisoners special sauce.


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## editor (Jul 18, 2012)

Brixton Hatter said:


> IIRC someone was on here saying their mates (who weren't in HMP Brixton) had been auditioned for the show. I assumed they were partly using people just let out on probation, but it was never confirmed...


That was me. And I was saying that my friend was auditioned for the _TV trailer._ The prisoners in the series are real.


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## teuchter (Jul 18, 2012)

I noticed that the trailers recreated scenes from the actual series with actors. I thought it was a really weird thing to do. Why?


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## Brixton Hatter (Jul 18, 2012)

editor said:


> That was me. And I was saying that my friend was auditioned for the _TV trailer._ The prisoners in the series are real.


Ah, I see....thanks for the clarification


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## editor (Jul 18, 2012)

teuchter said:


> I noticed that the trailers recreated scenes from the actual series with actors. I thought it was a really weird thing to do. Why?


I think I might know - might it be because they stopped Ramsay coming into the prison towards the end?


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## teuchter (Jul 18, 2012)

editor said:


> I think I might know - might it be because they stopped Ramsay coming into the prison towards the end?


 
No, because the trailer featured a scene - with actors - with Ramsay telling the inmates that they would be making fairy cakes. And then in the programme itself there was the exact same scene but with the actual inmates.


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## editor (Jul 18, 2012)

teuchter said:


> No, because the trailer featured a scene - with actors - with Ramsay telling the inmates that they would be making fairy cakes. And then in the programme itself there was the exact same scene but with the actual inmates.


Maybe the inmates just didn't fancy acting in the advert.


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## purenarcotic (Jul 18, 2012)

Maybe they weren't allowed to appear in the advert.


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## teuchter (Jul 18, 2012)

editor said:


> Maybe the inmates just didn't fancy acting in the advert.


Eh? Why not just use the scene from the programme in the trailer. As per normal practice.


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## teuchter (Jul 18, 2012)

purenarcotic said:


> Maybe they weren't allowed to appear in the advert.


 
I don't see why they would be allowed to appear in several hour-long programmes, but not in a trailer.


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## purenarcotic (Jul 18, 2012)

teuchter said:


> I don't see why they would be allowed to appear in several hour-long programmes, but not in a trailer.


 
It does strike me as a bit peculiar I do agree.


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## editor (Jul 18, 2012)

Someone can write to them and ask if they're that interested. 
Can't say I'm really that bothered.


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## King Biscuit Time (Jul 18, 2012)

Possibly because being filmed by Channel 4 while you do something in prison is different to actually making a commercial advert for Channel 4 whilst in prison?

Only a guess mind.


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## dolly's gal (Jul 18, 2012)

when did you buy that ed? Seth and I were chatting after the programme last night and wondered if they were still being stocked...


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## plurker (Jul 18, 2012)

King Biscuit Time said:


> Possibly because being filmed by Channel 4 while you do something in prison is different to actually making a commercial advert for Channel 4 whilst in prison?


 
_King Biscuit_ 
Need I ask where you fall in the BadBoy Cake hierarchy?


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## editor (Jul 18, 2012)

dolly's gal said:


> when did you buy that ed? Seth and I were chatting after the programme last night and wondered if they were still being stocked...


Caffe Nero, Brixton. Tasty it was too.


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## dolly's gal (Jul 18, 2012)

when though? today? or...


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## editor (Jul 18, 2012)

dolly's gal said:


> when though? today? or...


Sunday.


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## dolly's gal (Jul 18, 2012)

ah. still being stocked. interesting...


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## snowy_again (Jul 18, 2012)

teuchter said:


> How so?


 
It's more of a publicity vehicle for Ramsey than anything else as far as I can see - a bit of positive PR to address his floundering business and public image.

There are lots of vocational and non vocational training projects (particularly around catering) already operating around the country - which is frankly a bit of a nightmare given how HMP operates and the individual control that Governors have over inmates, which don't get publicity; Highdown http://www.theclinkcharity.com/ springs to mind, which don't have to flatter Ramsey's ego and temper...

If it gets ex-offenders the skills they need to be employed after release, good for them but I don't know what support they will get after release now that the probation system is being dismantled.

Having to put up with "Yes Chef" might make me want to whittle a shim from some lemon drizzle cake.


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## editor (Jul 18, 2012)

snowy_again said:


> It's more of a publicity vehicle for Ramsey than anything else as far as I can see - a bit of positive PR to address his floundering business and public image.


Oh, I don't know. I could think of much easier and less stressful ways for him to do that.


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## editor (Jul 18, 2012)

I wish they stocked those cakes at the Ritzy/Federation/Lounge. I really fancy one now.


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## snowy_again (Jul 18, 2012)

editor said:


> Oh, I don't know. I could think of much easier and less stressful ways for him to do that.


 
True, but from what I've seen his approach is massively naive and just there to create tension in the programme.

His surprise that you might actually have to be searched and items (phones, sharp implements etc.) are taken from you and stored whilst trying to access a prison is barmy - but then he adamantly has never visited his own brother in prison before.  

His surprise that his usual style didn't sit well with the participants is another one, so he took to the 'they have a cushy life, 3 square meals a day and a flatscreen TV' was all just Daily Mail PR fodder.


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## Rushy (Jul 18, 2012)

editor said:


> I wish they stocked those cakes at the Ritzy/Federation/Lounge. I really fancy one now.


Fed make their own in the market so that's pretty unlikely!


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## editor (Jul 20, 2012)

If you type 'bad boys bakery' into Google, this thread comes first, and my blog entry comes second.

No wonder traffic has gone through the roof!


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## purenarcotic (Jul 20, 2012)

snowy_again said:


> True, but from what I've seen his approach is massively naive and just there to create tension in the programme.
> 
> His surprise that you might actually have to be searched and items (phones, sharp implements etc.) are taken from you and stored whilst trying to access a prison is barmy - but then he adamantly has never visited his own brother in prison before.
> 
> His surprise that his usual style didn't sit well with the participants is another one, so he took to the 'they have a cushy life, 3 square meals a day and a flatscreen TV' was all just Daily Mail PR fodder.


 
I only watched one show, but this resonates with me quite a bit.  When he changed their routine by asking them to eat in the kitchen together as a group, he compared their kick offs to toddler tantrums.  That really narked me off, there was no understanding about how important their routine is, because it's all they really have.  What of course should have entered his thick skull was that people become institutionalised incredibly quickly, and tiny changes to their routine can cause a great deal of upset and panic.  He was very insensitive.


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## editor (Jul 20, 2012)

If you'd seen it through to the end you would have seen many of the inmates expressing gratitude for the opportunity to turn their lives around.


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## snowy_again (Jul 20, 2012)

Isn't that small change though? The lack of literacy / numeracy or other skills  development is part of the reason for high rates of recidivism. 

The Peterborough social investment bond seems to prove that even just being met by a support charity as you're discharged from prison is going to get you into the support you need and not return to offending.


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## editor (Jul 21, 2012)

snowy_again said:


> Isn't that small change though? The lack of literacy / numeracy or other skills development is part of the reason for high rates of recidivism.


Have you seen the show?


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## Turboprop (Jul 22, 2012)

editor said:


> Good to see Caffe Nero stocking them. They were *well* tasty too!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How long before someone finds a bogey in their cake?


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## editor (Jul 22, 2012)

Turboprop said:


> How long before someone finds a bogey in their cake?


As likely as you'd find from any other food outlet, I'd imagine.


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## shakespearegirl (Jul 27, 2012)

King Biscuit Time said:


> Possibly because being filmed by Channel 4 while you do something in prison is different to actually making a commercial advert for Channel 4 whilst in prison? /quote]
> 
> Its very odd that they didn't use footage from the programme in the promo. Every release form I've ever used for contributors in a programme allows for the footage to be used in any promotional material.[


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