Newcastle’s bakery scene has a new addition with the arrival of Crumb, the collaborative venture between Autumn Rooms’ Ben Richardson and acclaimed pastry chef Gareth Williams.

Located in Lambton, New South Wales, the venue reflects a shared vision that prioritises craft, quality, and a playful sense of hospitality, all while drawing on years of experience in high-end food service.

The bakery’s aesthetic is minimal yet characterful, with subtle nods to street culture via graffiti-inspired branding and vinyl-spun hip-hop providing a backing soundtrack.

“It’s all white, stainless, shades of grey. The colour is the food. We want the food to be the star, Ben told the Newcastle Herald.

Ben mentioned his excitement at the prospect of working with Gareth who will draw inspiration from his past work with food.

“As creative director he’s [Gareth’s] setting Crumb up; he’s bringing with him all his recipes, all his knowledge, and he’ll train and mentor the staff, which is something he’s really good at. He loves to share his passion.”

Gareth was initially hesitant to collaborate as his previous pop-up bakery Covered in Crumbs closed after work burnout trying to maintain the business during COVID-19. However, now with Crumb opened Gareth has been refreshed and enjoys his work at the bakery.

“I get to do all the fun stuff at Crumb and Autumn Rooms, not the stuff that burnt me out doing Covered in Crumbs,” Gareth said to Newcastle Herald.

“So that’s where I’m at now in the hospitality industry—food development—where I get to work closely with people to develop cool products and have fun with the food again.”

Within the modern space, Gareth brings a technique-driven approach to pastry production, with laminated goods and enriched doughs prepared over multiple days using specialty ingredients.

“I’m taking a lot of inspiration from the restaurant background of my career and focusing heavily on that,” Gareth said.

The rotating menu will showcase Gareth’s range, balancing traditional French pastry techniques with a distinctly local, seasonal lens.

A foundational menu of croissants and pain au chocolat anchors the offering, while more expressive creations—like maple bacon scrolls, chorizo croissants with hot honey, and brandy-orange salami sandwiches—speak to the duo’s culinary creativity.