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How Napa's new West Won Bread grew from a grandfather's tale - Napa Valley Register

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When Kyle Kuehner was a child, hearty bread was served with every dinner at his grandparent’s house. Also at every meal, his grandpa would pull apart the dark, rich bread and proclaim, “The bread that won the west!”

That statement made more of an impression on young Kyle than he realized.

“I didn’t know much about bread,” Kuehner said. “Much less about how to make it.”

Nonetheless, he would go on to become a baker, specifically, a bread baker. But that’s not where the story began.

“My college majors were English literature and creative writing,” said Kuehner. “I started out as an English language teacher for foreign students at a private school in San Francisco. I loved teaching, but when I was named the academic manager, I wasn’t happy in the work.”

West Won Bread in Napa offers freshly baked bread, scones, cookies, and other seasonal dishes.

As a hobby to relieve the job grind, he started baking bread at home. He’d practice different breads over and over before moving on to the next type of bread. He realized that he loved the art of baking bread.

“After a year of home baking, I left the academic life and got a job at Firebrand Artisan Breads in Oakland. It was great and I couldn't have asked for a better situation," said Kuehner.

Kuehner worked closely with the founder and head baker, Matt Kreutz. "I did everything there, packed bread, made pretzels and worked my way up to baking. I was allowed to dive right in.”

He and his wife, Elise, lived in San Francisco. He commuted to the bakery in Oakland, and she commuted to her position as a pediatric nurse at Stanford in Palo Alto. They wanted a change of pace from the city life with a move to the country.

They came to Napa on a whim.

“We saw a house we loved, and it was the best decision we ever made. It’s a wonderful community. You can see the community togetherness, especially at the farmer’s market. It’s been great.”

Kyle commuted to Oakland five nights a week, working from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for a year, he said.  “I made a change to be closer to home and worked at the Model Bakery.”

At Firebrand, he’d learned what it took to run a production bakery and always had the desire to have his own operation. When his son was born, he made the big move. For about three years he baked and sold his bread, under the name Royal Artisan Breads, at the Napa and St. Helena Farmer’s Markets.

“I started looking for a retail location in 2019. I bought equipment, a commercial stove, and mixer. I’d already invested $60,000 so I had to keep moving forward, although COVID slowed down the search for a place. A lot of the process was stressful but became exciting when we started making progress.”

After extensive renovations to a site that previously housed Quiznos Sub Restaurant, Kuehner opened West Won Bread at 1800 Soscol Ave. in Napa on April 22 of this year. He continues to sell bread and sandwiches at the farmer’s markets.

“I fell in love with making bread, working with my hands and learning the craft. In a way, bread crossed my path when I’d reached a fork in my life. I enjoy the team aspect of working together for a goal. That may have come from playing team sports.”

“I’m always striving to make the perfect loaf. I tell bakery students that they really must love the work. It’s physically demanding and tiring. You have to love it.”

So far, the most popular bread at the Napa Farmer’s Market and the bakery is the West Won Organic Sourdough, made with wheat and whole rye. Kyle’s personal favorite is the Sprouted Rye and Sesame. His stock rotates between 12 and 14 different artisan breads.

“People really enjoy the breads we make with ancient grain such as spelt. We’ve used einkorn, the oldest cultivated grain known. People with gluten sensitivity find it’s easier on their stomachs. We mill the einkorn berries, and the bread is completely dense, like rye with a different flavor. It’s become hard and expensive to get that grain though.”

The bakers are always working on new bread to try and are close to introducing a brioche.

“We’re expanding our pastry side. We’ve brought on some great Culinary Institute graduates who are bakers and it’s been a pleasure working with them and be teaching again. One of them is working on croissants, galettes and other different sweets. We always want to be there for bread but also offer something different to set us apart.”

Kyle’s baking hours aren’t as onerous as they once were. Most days he and the other bakers start at 6 a.m. and mix until noon, then spend the rest of the day shaping the bread by hand. Bread is baked in the evening and the last person finishes up around 2 a.m.

“Along with pastries, we’re working on focaccia with different toppings like prosciutto and figs, summer squash and mozzarella. Roasted peaches are popular. We want to offer more grab-and-go items, salads and sandwiches, expand our use of leftovers by making croutons and breadcrumbs.”

West Won offers a variety of toasted breakfast items, seasonal sandwiches and specials, along with cheeses and various beverages. Their website is www.westwonbread.com.

“One thing our staff always comments on is that over 75% of our customers are local. Yes, Napa is a tourist destination, but my support system are the locals who come in three or four times a week. That’s who we want, people who say 'hi' and see a friendly face. We’re trying to give something back to them in the products we make. I want them to see what they’ve invested in me, in their time and support.”

West Won Bread is at 1800 A Soscol Ave., Napa, in the Soscol Business Center Park. It opens at 7 a.m. for freshly baked bread, scones, cookies, and other seasonal dishes, and also serves beverages, sandwiches and salads. For more information, visit westwonbread.com or call 707-927-5597.

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