How Jolie Gindi and Adrian Pascu serve up gluten-free, ketogenic, vegan, sugar-free food that’s high in protein and fibre at their east London eatery
Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here
As I sit down to interview Yummzy founders – wife and husband team, Jolie Gindi and Adrian Pascu – I’m presented with something extraordinary.
As a journalist, I drink a lot of tea – the universal brown lubricant of an in-depth chat.
But Yummzy, which opened its doors in Canary Wharf just over a year ago, delivered arguably the most thoughtful cup I’ve ever been presented with.
The Drury bag was left to infuse in an elegant glass supplied with a refined tea-timer to avoid over-brewing.
There were tongs for efficient removal and a little bowl for the spent bag, as well as a tiny glass jug of oat milk (I prefer my tea to taste faintly of porridge, what of it?).
I mention this because the level of care taken in the serving of a simple cuppa illuminates the venue’s whole approach.
At its heart, Yummzy is about three things – detail, safety and flavour.
pay close attention
“So many times you read the word ‘healthy’ but the regulation around it is non-existent,” said Jolie.
While that might be of comparatively little consequence to some, for her it’s a matter of life and death.
As a Type 1 diabetic, Jolie must carefully balance what she eats.
“When we decided to start Yummzy, the idea had been brewing for quite a while,” she said.
“I was 33 before I had a proper slice of cake and didn’t feel unwell for days.
“The final straw was when a well-known brand released a sugar-free cupcake.
“I calculated the carbs, injected the right amount of insulin and then ate one.
“I was so excited, but within five minutes I could barely breathe.
“My feet felt like they were cemented to the floor. My whole body was shutting down.
“I hadn’t accounted for any sugar because the product was branded sugar-free.
“But we went back and found out they’d used coconut sugar instead of refined sugar.
“That’s like claiming organic peanuts are better for someone who has a peanut allergy.”
creating Yummzy
Tired of such episodes, together Jolie and Adrian decided to do something, to create a brand based on scrupulous attention to production to give those avoiding certain ingredients confidence in what they were buying.
Opened before the pandemic in Greenwich, Yummzy went online over Covid and returned to bricks and mortar in Canary Wharf in 2025.
“In the UK, I think we’re about five to 10 years behind countries like the US and Canada, where the kind of thing we’re offering is everywhere,” said Jolie, who previously ran a travel business and continues to work in consulting in the field of analytics and innovation.
“We’re an eatery – open for coffee in the morning, food throughout the day and also in the evening.
“Our menu is totally gluten-free, ketogenic, vegan, sugar-free and is high in protein and fibre.
“Our food is gourmet – usually when people think of healthy food, they think they’re going to taste like cardboard or something.
“For us the flavour is so important – we have something for everyone with different levels of sweetness and savoury options too.
“To be honest I prefer the latter – there’s our award-winning vegan sausage roll, our focannini, a cross between foccacia and panini which come with different fillings and our burger, which has 28g of pea protein to keep you full.”
keeping things light
Having won much recognition for their products, there’s a playfulness about Yummzy with both Adrian and Jolie keen to keep things light.
“My favourite thing on the menu is our Not Dubai Chocolate,” said Adrian, who works both in teaching and as a photographer and videographer as well as helping to run Yummzy.
“It’s not super sweet, but it’s crunchy inside, thanks to the pistachio butter and covered in chocolate.”
Jolie added: “It’s hard for me to pick one thing, but it’s either our focannini or our avocado on toast, which we call Av A Good Day.
“But I also love our Yummzy Rocher which are made with our Yummtella spread.
“It contains chocolate and hazelnuts but is free from gluten, dairy, palm oil and added sugar.”
The couple, who first met at a tango class and live within walking distance of their eatery, hope to grow the business on a franchise model, providing products to other branches in the future.
The Canary Wharf branch is both production kitchen and hospitality venue, with appropriately health-focused alcoholic options for those keen to indulge in wines, low-carb beer or tipples such as Mayan hot chocolate with rum (laced with cinnamon and chilli).
Drinks in general are taken as seriously as the food, with Yummzy working with Drury Tea And Coffee in Woolwich as a key supplier.
The venue also sells ceremonial grade matcha and will even whip up a concoction made with baobab juice, ideal as a hangover cure.
While there’s an obvious focus on creativity and delivery, perhaps the most satisfying thing for the couple is when their business has a genuine impact on a customer.
the reward in Yummzy’s impact
“Our hearts melt every time someone tells us what we’re doing has changed their lives,” said Jolie.
“One day a mother hugged me and started crying.
“At first I was worried we’d done something wrong.
“But then she told me that her daughter had never been able to enjoy a hot chocolate and a cake with her friend without having to inject insulin.
“Here she was able to have a normal time with her friend and not have to worry about that.
“Being able to say to the parents of a child who’s coeliac, for example, that everything is gluten-free and then see the kids’ faces when they know they have that choice is special.
“Sometimes the parents have to say the children are only allowed to eat one thing here and the rest has to go home.
“Running a business has its hardships, but that positive impact is what keeps us going.
“Right now, we just want more locals to know about us and what we’re doing so we’d ask anyone who has tried our products to spread the word and others to come and visit us.”
key details: Yummzy
Yummzy is located on the southern edge of Cabot Square and is open daily.
It sells a wide range of hot drinks, sweet treats and savoury food.
You can find out more about the brand and its range of products on its website here.
Read more: Discover Cody Dock’s restoration of the Frederick Kitchen lifeboat
Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here
Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here
