Crispian Bakery is a small-batch bakery producing French-inspired American breads and pastry for the San Francisco Bay Area.
Crispian began as a collaboration between our two head chefs, Beth Woulfe and Christian Fidelis de Goes, who met while working together in Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery in New York City. We offer a range of classic baked goods for retail purchase or special order, such as fine French macarons and naturally-fermented breads, as well as seasonal specialties, highlighting produce from our local farmers' markets.
Beth Woulfe is the pastry chef. Her goal is to produce beautiful, heart-warming food with affection and respect for the consumer. Born and raised in the East Bay, her industry experience includes time at Levain Bakery and Bouchon Bakery in New York, and the restaurant Le Bec Fin. Most recently, she was head chef at Main Line Baking Co, a gluten-free bakery in Philadelphia. Beth is an alumna of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, and holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Princeton University, where her senior thesis was on the role of food in literature.
Christian Fidelis de Goes is the bread baker. His relationship with bread started with his family, and he hopes to translate the generosity and honesty of what they fed him into a similar experience for the consumer. In his words, “In the same way that my parents and grandparents did whatever they had to do in order to take care of me, regardless of circumstances, my goal for the bread is to do whatever I can to make it as incredible as possible, regardless of how much work is involved - including, but not limited to, using whole grain flours to increase nutritional value, extending the autolyse to develop natural sweetness, and utilizing long, cold fermentation to enhance the depth of flavor and make it easier for people to digest.”
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
- Henry V, William Shakespeare
photo: (C) David Captain, 2015