4 minute read
Bakery: Bread Savage
It's in the Dough
Bread Savage, a New French Bakery
Story by Lifestyle Staff | Photos by Topograph
Our community will welcome a new bakery to Downtown Visalia this month: Bread Savage. We had the opportunity to sit down with owners Brooke and Chase Darwin to learn more about their mission and how their venture came to be.
Q: Can you share a little about yourselves and your journey to opening up your shop? Is this a solo or family venture?
A: Chase and I were living in LA, working in the film industry right before the pandemic hit. I had just finished filming a pilot that we were about to pitch to studios when everything shut down in March of 2020. Over the pandemic, Chase took up cooking and I baked my little heart out. It was a creative outlet and distraction at first, but we had so much focused time to hone our skills. This year, we started throwing around the idea of opening a bakery. I joked that I could run a pastry truck and park outside of the studios early each morning and make a killing. It was around that time that my brother-in-law Tate (who is the Executive Chef of Cellar Door) presented us with the idea of joining his team and opening a bakery. It was an opportunity to bring our creative vision to life, but with the support of four other people, (there are six of us total.) So, this is a family venture and then some!
Q: How did you come up with your business name?
A: I actually had a long list of names but brought my top three to the meeting, and it was the one the group voted for. It’s a bon mot (if you will) on Fred Savage but also, everything we bake is rough yet decadent. We’re a French bakery, but we’re also breaking rules and embracing the rough edges.
Q: How would you describe your shop, its atmosphere, and its mission?
A: I’ve been surrounded by great bakers and cooks all my life, so when I go out, I’m really going for the atmosphere. I wanted the shop to feel cozy and timeless, with thoughtful modern touches. I’ve sourced a lot of our furniture pieces secondhand and either restored or completely remade them. Our counter is probably my best find ever; it’s about 100 years old and was from a shop that operated in Three Rivers for 30 years. There is a quiet confidence in embracing older, often imperfect things and I think our wild pastries have that same feeling. Our cakes are rustically iced, our pastries are flaky and nonuniform. We’re more concerned with how things make you feel, than how perfect they look.
Q: What do you love most about baking?
A: It’s like edible art. For Chase and I, art and food are at the center of our world. When you bake, you are combining science with creativity, and the final result is something that can literally be devoured.
Q: What items will you sell on a regular basis? Any specialty items?
A: Well, we’re a French bakery, so we’d be remiss if we did not have fresh croissants and danishes on hand. Our homemade pop tarts have become a hit, so those will probably have a permanent spot. We’ll also have a small variety of rustic sourdough, challah, and other breads, and then rotate other pastries in as we learn what Visalians are most drawn to. So come in and let us know what your favorites are!
Q: Are you able to take orders that are customized?
A: We’ll definitely take custom orders when we can that can be picked up at the shop.
Q: Anything else you would like to share with us?
A: We’re really excited to get to know our new community and are grateful for the support we’ve received so far. Looking forward to having everyone in!
–BROOKE DARWIN
