Acclaimed chef and owner Brian Wood’s culinary journey came from humble beginnings but is rising higher all the time.
Biting into swoon-worthy pastries created by Brian Wood, the founder, owner and executive pastry chef at Starter Bakery in North Oakland’s Rockridge district, above, it’s unimaginable that it all began with Jiffy pancake mix scooped from a metal canister. From that humble start, though, Wood founded Starter in West Berkeley as a wholesale and pop-up operation in 2010, achieved Bay Area renown for their in-demand, hand-made pastries and in 2023 opened the retail shop in Rockridge.
“In the 1990s, let’s just say the level of professionalism was lower and there was higher tolerance of crazy, unhinged, abusive chefs.” “The design and construction process was intimate, and when we took down the window coverings to invite the public in … well, wholesalers fly under the radar, but when you’re a retailer, all eyes are on you.”
There are dishwashing machines able to accommodate 36 sheet pans, oven racks and loads 10 times the size of a home dishwasher. There are easily pushable floor scrubbers instead of mops and hand-saving machines to pump out cookie pucks, divide dough or deposit muffin batter. Wood says the same approach results in regular tasting of updates and testing new products of all of the savory lines — sandwiches, quiche, salads — as well the sweet and specialties sides of the menu. Passover and Mother’s Day specials include brioche, macaroons, Chocolate Decadence, seasonally-focused Twice Baked Strawberry Rhubarb croissants,-style Napoleon Cake featuring various unusual ganaches, fruit poached in-house and more.
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