

Roy Levy, Companion
Roy Levy is Creative Director at Gail’s, the UK-based bakery, where he’s just overseen the launch of their first magazine, Companion.
After an early career in theatre direction, Roy moved to London and had the chance to work on a baking project for Baker Spice, the prototype bakery that inspired Gail’s. ‘I came to London for what was supposed to be six months and have never left.’ He started out as a baker and pastry chef, but quickly became involved in all creative aspect of the business, working closely with co-founder Tom Molnar.
Three years ago, he founded the Creative Studio as a space not only for developing food concepts but also to tell the stories that drive the business: their sourcing, partnerships and community endeavours. The new magazine is a natural extension of that.
What are you doing this morning?
I want to say I took a dreamy walk along the Regent’s Canal from my home in Maida Vale to the studio in Camden Lock, but the sad truth is that I can never find time for this. So instead, I hopped in a taxi, grabbed a coffee, and rushed in a bit hectically.
Today, I’m meeting Nadeem from Wildpress to discuss the autumn apple harvest, which goes into his divine apple juice. Later, I’ll be sitting down with one of our architects to review the design concept for a new Gail’s in Salisbury. It’s a beautiful standalone site, but we’re still figuring out the best way to integrate it into the city's charming character.
Then, we’ll have a creative session in the studio about a film project we’re working on. Very much like our Companion project, we are taking time to think through how this piece can tell the story of things we care about and what kind of creative direction would best represent our brand.
Describe your work environment—what can you see from your desk/ through the window?
My studio is part of Gail’s main hub, though we prefer not to refer to it as an “HQ.” Rather, it’s a collection of thoughtfully designed spaces that support all our creative and operational needs. There’s a bread lab, coffee training and development rooms, a baking class for our trainee bakers, and several collaborative spaces for our teams to meet and work together.
My creative studio is essentially a glass box on the ground floor, located in an unexpectedly quiet corner of Camden Lock. You can catch a glimpse of it from the courtyard outside, from the bakery next door, or from the spaces above. The studio is where we develop our food concepts and craft the stories that bring them to life. Inside, you’ll find a well-equipped kitchen, an array of fabulous ingredients, an ever-growing collection of crockery, pottery, platters, bowls, and linen, as well as a large table that serves both as a dining area and a meeting space for discussions and collaboration.

Aside from yours, what’s your favourite magazine?
I have a deep appreciation for many publications but recently I’ve been particularly inspired by Acne Paper, both in its earlier, original incarnation and in its more recent reimagined form (above). The magazine is an exceptional example of design and production, with each issue beautifully crafted. What truly captivated me, however, is the way it seamlessly reflects the ethos of the Acne brand while also developing an independent, rich identity and meaningful narrative in its own right. I thought it was a clever way to broaden the brand’s vision – yes, it’s a fashion brand, but there’s so much more on their mind.
Another magazine I love is the visually stunning Scenery by Alister Mackie and Simon B. Mørch, which explores beauty, craftsmanship, and interiors. I’m also a fan of Luncheon—I love their take on everything food and culture.

Describe Companion in three words
Disclosure. Beauty. Stories.

What inspired Gail’s to jump from baking to publishing?
For me, Companion is a study in communication. Gail’s is a well-known brand with big dreams. Over the years, our main focus has been on nurturing and growing the business while staying true to our core values. As we’ve expanded, we’ve encountered numerous challenges and opportunities, particularly in making sure that the quality of our products continues to improve with time, and that our growth has a positive impact on the business, the people behind it, the communities around us, and the world at large.
This journey has not only helped us develop as a company but also as individuals. Along the way, we’ve learned so much, met extraordinary people, and had the privilege of visiting inspiring places. As we’ve evolved, it became clear to me that it was time to rethink how we communicate with the world. While most people are familiar with what we do (after all, you can get a good sense of it every time you step into one of our bakeries) we realised that not enough people truly understand who we are or what we stand for.
That’s when the idea of the magazine took shape. I knew I wanted it to be from Gail’s, but not necessarily about Gail’s. I wanted it to reflect the stories we care about, things we find beautiful, and topics that resonate with us—stories that would offer a deeper understanding of what we do and why we do it.
Having never written a magazine before, I knew I needed to bring in some experts. That’s when I met Charlie Monaghan, who had edited several magazines in the past and is now leading the creative team at Gail’s. I also teamed up with Katy Severson, an experienced and skilled editor, to bring the whole project to life.
The entire process spanned nearly two years, but we were committed to giving it the time and thought it deserved. We spent countless hours refining the approach, finding our voice, and working with an incredible team of contributors—writers, poets, photographers and illustrators—to turn our vision into reality. The experience was deeply creative and immensely rewarding, and it has left us with a clear understanding of what Companion is, and what it will continue to be in the future.

What do you hope the magazine will achieve?
I want people to gain a deeper understanding of what’s truly behind our brand. The work we do in making high-quality bread, coffee, and food more accessible is often overlooked. There’s a common belief that big food businesses can only succeed by cutting corners, compromising on quality, and abandoning their values. But we’ve lived by a different approach, one built on simple truths gained over 20 years of consistent, determined work. No shortcuts or industry tricks, just a commitment to doing things right, day after day.
We’re taking a different path from the traditional one in the food industry, and it’s important for us to share this with the world outside of Gail’s. The future of Gail’s is grounded in the positive relationships we cultivate with the world, and Companion is one of the ways we continue to nurture and strengthen that connection.

The first issue’s theme ‘Bread’ is obviously close to Gail’s business. What kind of themes will you be covering in future issues?
In future issues, we’ll dive deeper into what baking at scale truly means today and explore its impact, both on us as a business and on the world beyond Gail’s. Expect to see themes like community, sustainability, modern craftsmanship, and beauty featured throughout.

Please show us one spread that sums up how the magazine works, and gives a sense of what the reader can expect from it )
We have selected the story ‘The Farm as a Living System’, a photographic essay by Richard Round-Turner. He captured the diverse beauty of an organic wheat field by documenting the abundance of wildflowers and plant life growing around one in high summer. He made the images at Ampney Brook Farm, one of 10 farms around the UK that are growing heritage grains in organic and regenerative ways for us as part of our Wheat Project. It is everything we are trying to do with Companion: present thought-provoking, meaningful stories in unexpected and beautiful ways.
What has issue one taught you that may be helpful to anyone else planning to launch a magazine?
I’m hardly in a position to offer professional advice on launching a magazine, but from my own experience, I’d say the key is to surround yourself with people who inspire you every day, not just once in a while. You’ve got to truly admire how they see the world and respond to it. And here’s the thing: no one’s going to want to read the magazine that only exists in your head. So, keep the conversation going with like-minded creatives, and you might just end up with a magazine you never even realised you needed.
What are you most looking forward to this coming week?
I’m about to head off on a two-and-a-half-week holiday to South Africa, where the sun is practically a constant companion, so it would be great to get my desk cleaned up, wrap up all the briefs, tasks, and projects, and leave everything with a clear direction. It feels a bit impossible, to be honest, but I’m giving it my best shot!
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