Monday night at the James Beard Foundation’s annual awards gala in Chicago, Bozeman’s Wild Crumb was tapped as the best bakery in the nation, beating out other nominees from Sister Bay, Wisconsin, Anchorage, Alaska, Bethlehem, New Hampshire, and Charleston, South Carolina.
The Bozeman patisserie sells artisan breads and pastries. It was started by twin sisters: Caroline Schweitzer—who bakes the breads-- and Lauren Heemstra —who bakes the pastries.
The Beard Foundation says the bakery award “recognizes a baker of breads, pastries or desserts that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality and operations” and has been in business for at least three years. Eligible candidates must consistently sell goods directly to the public but do not need to be a brick-and-mortar presence.
This is the third time Wild Crumb has been a finalist for the national bakery award. Other recent winners are JinJu Patisserie, Portland, OR; U Bakery, Portland, ME; and Yoli Tortilleria, Kansas City, MO.
