The OGs will remember, but the thing that eventually became Super Bloom Bakery was born out of a food allergy, a shared passion for the restaurant industry and a beautiful love story. Here's the story:
I had by chance gotten a delicious slice of pizza at this well known diner in Berkeley for lunch one day. The spot: Bette's Oceanview Diner. A place I would later learn was one of the SF Bay Area’s most iconic restaurants with a very happily married couple at the helm. So, I was excited to spot a Craigslist ad for a barista position at Bette’s. Since I had several years of barista experience under my belt already, I applied and of course got the job.
Bette’s has two businesses under one roof: a classic, art deco, 50's style diner and a European deli with sandwiches, coffee and baked goods all made in house of course. I worked as a barista in the deli for the better part of a year, and Hae was a server in the diner. There were windows in between the diner and the deli, and as I watched Hae running from one end of the diner to the other I thought, “that’s the kind of woman I hope to marry one day.”
Bette’s was just the right place for that - six months later Hae and I became one of over 10 couples who worked at Bette’s, met the love of their life and (eventually) got married. We think it was Bette and Manfred’s dedication to each other in life and in business that created this magical diner full of eggs, bacon, souffle pancakes and true love. We went on to work at a handful of restaurants and cafes around the Bay Area, carving out a little space for ourselves in Oakland. Hae is one of the most interesting people I've ever known, and watching her work among some of the greatest restaurateurs in the very competitive Northern California dining machine was, to say the least, wildly inspiring.
We did a lot of things together. We started a big gay monthly dance party with friends that lasted for over 10 years. We did years of pop-ups and events with all my gluten-free deep fried creations. Then we opened a divey diner in North Oakland we (unfortunately) called the Grease Box. Two months in, gay marriage suddenly became legal in California! It took us another two years to actually tie the knot and our 10th anniversary is this year.
Greasebox from Metric Cosmetics on Vimeo.
We ran the cafe for a few years until our lease ran out. We needed a change of scenery, so we closed up shop and moved to Los Angeles. Although I made literally everything from scratch at Grease Box, the real star of the show was the sourdough I developed. So, when we landed in Hollywood, we decided to focus on bread.
Hae and I got jobs in Los Angeles. I snagged a line cook position at Ysabel, a IYKYK upscale celebrity hang out spot in West Hollywood; and Hae bartended at a short lived but very delicious Mediterranean spot called Jaffa, headed by a former bar manager from the critically acclaimed speakeasy: the Varnish. We furiously applied to farmers markets and eventually we were in 7 markets every week, including the prestigious Brentwood and Calabasas markets. We sold out every weekend. (and we were able to quit our jobs YAAY)
In 2020, we were at the top of our game at the farmers markets. and then, yeah . . .
SO, we went online! I was over the moon to find a huge group of y'all that wanted us to ship our handmade, allergen free sourdough to all corners of the US. And now, that's what we do!
If you haven't figured it out by now, we are restaurant people. Over the years, I learned that ingredients and sourcing were what set the good restaurants apart from the great restaurants. As I navigated my food allergy, I began to notice that there were no handmade breads for people like me. NONE. Not even a little tiny bakery, nothing.
When I say people like me, what I mean is people who care about every single ingredient that goes into our bodies. The main offenders in allergen free (and gluten free) baking are STILL funky additives meant to mimic whats "missing."
Here's the thing, ingredients like Xanthan Gum, Guar gum, Modified Starches, Dextrose and so on cause MAJOR digestive issues for me and honestly lots of people. These ingredients can all but destroy your gut microbiome, making it hard for your body to process the good stuff that you are eating. This is just the tip of the iceberg; recent studies are showing that a diet riddled with Ultra Processed Foods can cause multitudes of health problems. Scientists and researchers are just beginning to understand this, and luckily I've been cutting out ultra processed foods from our diet for years. And Super Bloom Bakery will NEVER use any ultra processed ingredients, never. In fact, every ingredient was specifically chosen to boost nutrition, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
XOXO
Lizzy, CEO and co-founder
We are a LGBTQ+, woman, immigrant and AAPI-led business. We prioritize working with like-minded businesses. 🌺🌸🌼
