bake - November 2017 - 18

MANRESA BREAD
Manresa Bread was born out of

eating it, is that there is always more

the kitchen of Chef David Kinch's

to learn. There are endless variables.

Michelin 3-star Manresa restaurant in

Getting a recipe to be consistently

Las Gatos, California. For head baker

what you envision is just one of the

Avery Ruzicka, her path to Manresa

challenges. I love to make laminated

and later Manresa Bread started

doughs - croissants, inverted puff

in culinary school when Kinch was

pastries, and biscuits with a fold or

in New York City preparing for an

two. I do not have the same amount

event. "I instantly recognized the

of experience with them as I do

intensity and attention to detail that

sourdough bread, so it is particularly

I had loved in the Michelin starred

exciting to work on them.

restaurants of France," Ruzicka says.
"With David, there was a joy and

"The two major ingredients in either

humor I had never witnessed before

my bread or my pastries are ﬂour

in any cooking at that level. He was

and butter. Listed on the back of an

pushing for perfection but having a

ingredient list, those two little simple

great time while doing it."

words seem somewhat plain or
pedestrian, but fresh-milled Yecora

One year later, Ruzicka decided to

Rojo red wheat grown organically

move west. With no kitchen oppor-

in California differs immensely from

tunities available at the time, she

Italian ﬂour used in panettone."

accepted a food runner position
and staged in the kitchen whenever

Ruzicka grew up in the South, but

her schedule allowed. There was no

considers herself very much the

baking position; it was a task passed

child of Northerners. The food

between the chefs and the pastry

cultures and traditions of biscuits

team. "I felt like I could contribute

and gravy, fried chicken, okra and

and improve the process and asked

shelling peas were foreign to her.

if I could help. I transitioned to a

Instead, the recipes for aebelskivers

full time back-of-house position six

(a Danish dessert), cabbage with

months later, training on both the

red currant jam and frikadellers

amuse bouche and an enhanced

(pan-fried meatballs) were passed

bread menu before they created a

down. "Food traditions in my home

baking position for me." Six months

were Danish, Czech and English and,

later, they were asked to join a

as food traditions aught," she says,

local farmers market, followed by

"they taught me about where my

another, and Ruzicka taught herself

family came from." At the age of 15,

how to make 500-plus loaves out of

Ruzicka spent her sophomore year

Manresa's two small combi ovens.

abroad in Santander, Spain, where

One year later, Manresa Bread was

she got to know her new home by

founded as its own brick and mortar

visiting the ﬁsh markets of that port

bakery, and Ruzicka became partner

city, helping her host parents fry thin

and head baker.

slices of eggplant until they melted

18 < NOV 2017 | bakemag.com

over the morcilla stewed with lentils.

ized that seven years ago and it is

"Food suddenly became a way for

still true. What I particularly love

me to understand and interrupt my

about bread, beyond the delight of

present rather than just my past."

AUBRIE PICK

away in your mouth, and ﬁghting
"I love bread," she exclaims. "I real-
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