It was July 1989, and Vladimir and Tatyana Gavrilov, along with their seven children, were given the opportunity to immigrate to the United States from the former Soviet Union. Unable to speak English and with little knowledge of what to expect in America, they knew it was a place of opportunity, religious freedom, and a better future for their children.

After spending a little less than a year attending English classes, Tatyana started working at a local bakery called Ettores, where she started off as a dishwasher and worked her way into the kitchen as a baker and cake decorator. Shortly after, one of her oldest daughters, Elena, began working as a front associate for the same bakery. Elena would also go on to become an experienced baker and talented cake decorator. After working in a European bakery for many years, as well as other commercial kitchens, Elena and Tatyana developed a passion for baking and creating gourmet foods. Having been fortunate enough to work alongside talented chefs, they gained tremendous knowledge and experience in creating high quality pastries and delicate desserts, and developed a strong work ethic. This instilled a dream to open a small bakery of their own one day that turned into a reality in 2010 in the beautiful state of Kentucky.

In July of 2010, European Delights Bakery opened its doors in a shopping center located in Brannon Crossing. From the reconstruction of the building, to the opening of the shop, the family worked tirelessly to perfect a menu that would introduce the community to exceptional European pastries. As time passed, the bakery gained regular customers who would tell their friends and family about the little bakery in Brannon with the delicious desserts. By May of 2016 word had spread about this “little European Bakery in Brannon,” and European Delights Bakery underwent an expansion which added both additional seating for the ever growing customer population, as well as added space in the kitchen where more and more counters, ovens, and whisks were needed to keep up with greater demand.

Today, with an extremely dedicated team of talented associates, European Delights Bakery produces thousands of cakes, cookies, and pastries every week. But despite how far they have come from that first dream of opening a bakery, they remain true to their roots and humble beginnings. They continue to uphold the highest standard of quality product, using simple but one hundred percent real ingredients. Every morning long before the sun comes up, their team of bakers and cake decorators make a variety of dough, icings, and fillings, and handcraft each pastry and cake. With more than thirty years of collective experience, they are honored to be able to serve the Lexington community and create a space where people can gather around great food to create their own memories and traditions.