Growing up in San Francisco, I’ve loved bread from a young age. From Focaccia to Naan. But my journey to baking sourdough was a long one. After working in the craft brewing industry for several years, I learned how to bring out the best flavors from helpful, local microorganisms. I was curious about the relationship between beer flavors and bread, but at the time, didn’t seem as interesting as working with pastries.

Almost seven years later, after quarantine, I finally got the chance to bake professionally at one of the city’s most sought-after bakeries, Rize Up. Working there not only broadened my perspective on who was making sourdough, but also what it could taste like. We weren’t only sharing delicious new flavors, but also helping nourish our community. Now that I’ve arrived in Virginia, I want to continue to share my love of sourdough with even more people.