As the co-owner and director of baking operations at Hewn, a celebrated retail bakery in Evanston, Illinois, Ellen King is devoted to her craft like many in the artisan field, leading to a resurgence in America for a deeper appreciation of craft baking. At Hewn, breads are hand-shaped and naturally fermented without commercial yeast or any preservatives, chemicals, or additives. They work with a dozen local farmers to source our grains, produce and dairy. They utilize stone-milled grains that enable their products to have incredible flavor and texture.
Chicagoland, King elaborates, offers a truly distinctive environment for retail bakeries. “Our baking legacy, dating back to the late 1700s, is amplified by the influx of immigrant traditions, resulting in many different recipes and tasting profiles. Not to mention the fact that Chicago was the home of grain trading, and surrounded by fertile farmland.”
It is notable that Chicago proudly claims the brownie's invention at the Palmer House in 1893, a testament to its innovative spirit. Beyond iconic creations, she adds, Chicago's neighborhood bakeries have historically been, and continue to be, vital community anchors.
“This creates a customer base that values both time-honored recipes and fresh, creative interpretations. The city's diverse population, and deep cultural backgrounds, ensures a constant demand for unique and authentic baked goods. In essence, the Chicago area provides a fertile ground where history, community, and culinary innovation intersect, making it a compelling destination for retail bakeries like ours to thrive. We feel very fortunate to be located at a place with these shared values,” she says.
Greater creativity
Likewise, John Roeser IV, fourth-generation owner of Roeser’s Bakery, which was founded in 1911 by John C. Roeser Sr., and is the oldest family-owned bakery still in the same location in Chicago, agrees that Chicago holds a special place in the heart of the city.
“When you think of food in America, you think of Chicago and New York City,” says John C. Roeser IV. “Chicago is a melting pot of different races and ethnicities mixed within a dense population, creating a perfect environment for “more different food, more creativity, and more different ideas.”
For this reason, Roeser IV loves his city through and through. “Chicago is not a very transient city, like other places. There are many people who have grown up here and are still living here for more than 40 years. That creates a lot of tradition.”
Operating in such a melting pot means that Roeser’s Bakery must be committed to both traditional favorites and new product innovation.
Indulgence matters
Years ago, Leigh Omilinsky, executive pastry chef & partner of Daisies, an iconic restaurant and bakery in Chicago, points out that “people were a little afraid to indulge – but that’s going away.”
Indeed, the restaurant dessert menu at Daisies includes such creative masterpieces as the Butterscotch Budino (coffee, orange, and salted caramel), Pretzel Cream Puff (malted vanilla cream, butternut, and graham cracker), and Dark Chocolate Torta (chocolate mousse, pecan caramel, and feuilletine crunch).
There is also a bakery here where they offer such sweet and savory treats as French onion savory Danish, Chicago-style hot dog croissant, dairy-free orange olive oil cake, and chocolate babka.
“We sell out kouign-amann every day,” she points out. “We do ham-and-cheese croissants every day, and chocolate chip cookies, and croissants. The hot dog croissant is a fan favorite.”
Recognizing a shift toward premium quality, consumers are increasingly particular about their desserts in today’s environment. That’s why she believes it is so important to engage the customers and “make sure we are proud of what we put out,” she says.
Hispanic flavor
Source: Sosland PublishingStrong connections to faith, family and community play an instrumental role in the success of family bakery businesses. Today, La Luz Bakery continues to blossom as a thriving entity and a pillar of the community of Round Lake, Illinois, which is a northern suburb of Chicago.
Husband and wife Esteban Montes de Oca and Carmen Hernandez founded La Luz Bakery in December 2000, during a time in which local customers, particularly Hispanics, were hungry for a taste of home.
“People went crazy when we started selling pastries and breads. We were the first bakery in town,” Esteban recalls. “It is like this town was made for us. It has been a nice ride.”
As their popular bakery has grown, so has their family. Esteban and Carmen have four ambitious daughters, Karla, Itzel, Jamie, and the youngest, Isabella. Their humble nature serves the family so well.
“We are all very humble – to hope for the best,” Esteban says now. “All the people we have met and all the friends we have made here, it is amazing.”
Esteban remembers all the hard work that brought success to their lives today.
He and his father came to the United States when Esteban was just 14 years old, “without a single dollar to my name.” He worked many jobs into adulthood and enjoyed being part of a land of opportunity. He understood that working diligently would ultimately pay dividends.
“All I needed was one thing. God gave us a bakery,” he says with great humility.
Embracing traditions
Prior to opening Hewn, King spent time at Quillisascut Farm School, a sustainable farm school in Rice, Washington, where she first learned to bake bread in a wood fired oven. She attended the Seattle
Culinary Academy where she was awarded the Les Dames d’Escoffier 2003 scholarship.
The breads at Hewn are inspired by deep traditions.
“At the heart of our bakery lies bread, the very foundation upon which we were built and the cornerstone of our mission,” she says today. “While our Blonde Country, Country, and Whole Wheat Seeded loaves remain perennial favorites, our Heritage Whole Wheat breads have also garnered a devoted following.
“On the pastry side we focus on laminated doughs, with croissants, pain au chocolat, morning buns, monkey bread, and kouign-amann consistently topping our bestseller list. The holidays provide an exciting time for our bakers' creativity, allowing us to come up with new recipes specific to each holiday. This month, we're celebrating with Fat Tuesday specials —King Cake and paczki – followed by St. Patrick's Day favorites: Irish soda bread and savory corned beef and cabbage hand pies. Finally, our sandwiches, ranging from classic Reubens and turkey chipotle melts to staples such as turkey cranberry and Italian subs, have cultivated a loyal lunch crowd.”
The word hewn, which means to give form or shape with heavy cutting blows by hand, is a way to connect the past with the future. Everything at Hewn is made in-house, from scratch daily at their Evanston bakehouse.
King holds an MA in American History from the University of Maine, and a BA in History from St. Norbert College. She was chair of the Evanston Backyard Chicken Committee, served on the Evanston Environment Board and is a member of Chefs Collaborative, Women Chefs and Restaurateurs and the Bread Bakers Guild of America. Ellen oversees all of the Back of House and baking operations at Hewn. Her first book, Heritage Baking, was published by Chronicle Books in 2018.
Using a sourdough starter in all breads, coupled with stone milled grains, allows the bread to ferment slowly over time and produces a richer, more complex flavor. It also allows the gluten proteins to slowly and naturally break down over time. The starter (levain/sourdough) was initially created by Ellen several years ago. Their bakers all work to feed and maintain the starter every day.
Each day their bakers mix the dough, turning it every 30 minutes over a four-hour period. The dough is then shaped and placed into bannetons, where it rests overnight to rise naturally. In the morning, the bakers fire up the oven and bake the bread. From the start of the mix to the bake, the bread is fermented approximately 20 hours.
But to do business in today’s climate, Hewn must be nimble.
“While we prioritize the personal connection of in-store interactions and sales, we've also embraced the convenience of online ordering. Holiday items are managed through Tock, and this year, we launched a dedicated app for same-day pickups.”
Source: HewnThe bakery maintains a strong connection with its community through loyal newsletter subscribers, providing monthly updates. Hewn’s Instagram presence allows us to showcase daily offerings and specials. “While the pandemic brought an outpouring of understanding, we recognize that constructive feedback is part of growth. We review and respond to online reviews weekly, valuing all customer perspectives. Navigating the diverse landscape of communication requires constant attention, but it's essential for building lasting relationships.”
King says they believe true evolution lies in strengthening our foundational values, not simply reacting to short-term trends. Today's marketplace demands sustainability and ethical practices, and they have been dedicated to these principles from the start. They are actively reinforcing our commitment to sustainable, locally grown, stone-milled grains and sourcing the best possible products amidst climate challenges. This dedication builds trust with customers who prioritize responsible sourcing. “Furthermore, we're evolving our internal structures by investing in comprehensive HR policies, including a comprehensive medical, dental, and retirement benefits. Focusing on our vendors (farmers) and employees ensures that we are always able to produce the most authentic and highest quality product.”
The bakery’s biggest challenge, she adds, lies in navigating the unpredictable landscape of external factors, specifically weather-related disruptions, avian flu and evolving local, state, and federal policies. Proposed federal tariffs, for example, would impact many aspects of our business, forcing us to balance maintaining affordability for our customers with ensuring the sustainability of our business and the well-being of our employees.
“We are fortunate that we source all our ingredients from within the country, but equipment, and supplies come from all over the globe. To address these challenges, we actively engage with local government initiatives, collaborating with fellow food businesses to advocate for policies that support small enterprises. We also foster strong relationships with our farmer partners and suppliers, proactively discussing cost fluctuations and economic trends to mitigate their impact on our bottom line. Our commitment to high-quality ingredients remains unwavering, and we view these challenges as opportunities to strengthen our resilience and adaptability.”
Several years ago, Page was taking a Historic Preservation course through the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities. The project involved dating parts of an 18th century house by examining the building techniques. One way to date a structure is to look at the beams and determine if they were hand-hewn or cut with a saw. Ellen discovered a treasure when a hand-hewn beam was found inside the walls, meaning that a craftsman used an axe to shape the beam. Ellen’s career as a historic preservationist ended when she started to pursue her passion for food, but the word hewn stuck with her.
Inside Hewn they wanted to use as many salvaged and repurposed items as possible. As their bread is handmade, so are many of the interior furnishings. They wanted the warm, rustic nature of their store to reflect the warm, rustic nature of their bread.
The Evanston Rebuilding Warehouse salvaged and created the lathe on the front of the bakery’s counters and the wood on the wall behind the counters in Evanston. The wood used on the face of its coffee area in Libertyville was also sourced from the Warehouse.
Changing times
Innovation is central to the history at Roeser’s Bakery, which was one of the first bakeries in the city to install a freezer in the store and in the shop. In 1946, John Jr. installed the neon sign that still hangs outside today. When the bakery was remodeled in 1953, it was the first all Formica store front in a retail bakery. In 1965, Roeser’s became the first bakery with an air-conditioned shop in Chicago, which helped maintain the quality of Roeser’s now famous whipped cream cakes on those hot summer days. All of these innovations helped the bakery improve its service and product offering.
While the trends related to flavors are soaring upward, the preferred size of sweet goods is growing smaller.
“The trend is smaller sizes – for sure,” says Roeser IV. “It’s a melting pot right now. You have to have a little bit of everything.”
Primarily they put a focus on cakes that become the centerpiece of any customer’s party – so people are oohing and aahing over the cakes. That will always be their focus – to listen to our customers and what they want.
“We offer a whole heck of a lot of cake flavors,” Roeser point out. “In the old days, it was yellow, white and marble. Now we do a lot of cake flavors: carrot, confetti, blueberry, raspberry, coconut, and more.” They have also started chocolate and almond croissants.
“And now I have a gourmet cupcake line – with caramel or Funfetti. We have seven or eight varieties on a weekly basis,” he explains. “We do caramel pecan bars with a cookie dough crust, baked on a sheet pan, and cut into slices.”
Years passed and the bakery continued to flourish right along with the Roeser family as John II and wife Barbara continued on with the business. The neighborhood began changing and Roeser’s Bakery responded with an expanded product line of superior cakes, sweet rolls, fry cakes, pies, coffee cakes, breads, and donuts.
Roeser’s reputation for providing a welcoming environment with superior cakes and bakery items always remained constant. In 1976, another son entered the shop and rolled up his sleeves to begin his industry training. With expert instruction, John Roeser III took the helm, emulating the tradition of excellence founded by his grandfather. Like his mother and grandmother, John’s wife Deb became an integral part of the bakery, designing seasonal cake displays for the store windows and inspiring staff and customers with her infectious smile.
Another first for the Roeser family was receiving a special honor as the city’s oldest family bakery. In 1996, the Chicago City Council recognized Roeser’s 85th anniversary by designating one block of North Avenue as “Honorary John C. Roeser Avenue,” after founder John C. Roeser Sr.
Even with such honors, Roeser’s Bakery always looked to the future for new ideas to bring to the customer and found a niche creating custom cakes. Roeser’s one-of-a-kind cakes astound and impress customers on a daily basis. “Whatever you can imagine” is the motto of the cake designers as they use their artistic talent to create and decorate made-to-order cakes that look like everything from castles to frogs to broccoli.
Today, the Roeser family has expanded to include more than 35 full time employees — many from the neighborhood. Roeser’s reputation keeps spreading throughout the city and suburbs as more and more people discover Roeser’s delicious wedding cakes, tortes, unique custom cakes and homemade ice cream.
Experience matters
Source: Neil BurgerAs executive pastry chef & partner of Daisies, Omilinsky points out that “people don’t realize the amount of work required to do it well.”
She certainly does. Omilinsky earned degrees in Baking & Pastry Arts and Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University before starting in pastry at JW Marriott in Denver.
In 2006, she ventured back to Chicago where she worked for James Beard award winning chefs Rick Tramonto and Gale Gand; first at Tramonto’s Steak and Seafood as the lead pastry cook and then at TRU restaurant as pastry tournant. Enamored with the fine dining environment, Omilinsky began working at L2O restaurant in 2009, where she worked as chef de partie under celebrated chef Laurent Gras and was part of the team when Gras received 3 Michelin stars.
In 2010, Leigh Omilinsky joined Sofitel Chicago Water Tower as assistant pastry chef. Promoted to Executive Pastry Chef in 2012, she oversaw the hotel’s pastry program including private dining, amenities, and the plated desserts at Café des Architectes and Le Bar.
In 2013, Omilinsky was included on Zagat’s 30 Under 30 list and received the Jean Banchet award for “Rising Pastry Chef and in 2014 received Jean Banchet’s “Best Pastry Chef.”
To further her skills, Omilinksy spent a formative month staging at the world-renowned Pierre Hermé in Paris. After five years working with French pastry, Omilinsky jumped at the opportunity to venture further south and explore all that Italian cuisine has to offer. As Nico Osteria’s pastry chef, Omilinsky continued her pursuit of mastering the balance between simplicity and depth of flavor all while honing her management style putting an emphasis on team education.
Omilinsky considers Italy her first love. Growing up in Chicago’s north suburbs, her childhood dream of becoming a jazz piano player quickly changed after a pivotal crème brulee experience at San Francisco’s Top of the Mark restaurant. Stunned by its simplicity and delivery of flavor, at the ripe age 10 years old she stumbled upon her passion and pastry philosophy.
Hooked, Omilinsky spent her teenage years working at bakeries and watching Julia Child and Jacques Pepin on television.
