IBIE - 2022 Special Edition & Show Preview - 101

HERITAGE GRAINS
Cuban bread, pastries and more.
After years of perfecting and
tireless hours of toil, high-quality
products are prepared using the
same handmade traditions set
forth in the early 1900s. One of
the most important time-honored
customs is placing a freshly cut
palmetto leaf across the top of
each loaf to create the signature
split down the middle. Only
authentic Cuban bread contains
the palmetto leaf. La Segunda
is one of the very few bakeries to
uphold this labor-intensive tradition.
" We cannot produce enough bread right
now for the market, " explains Tony Moré, a thirdgeneration
owner of the family business. " There is
tremendous demand. We ship all over the United
States. "
Gluten-free gains
Breadblok founders and sisters Chloé and Celine
Charlier are experienced veterans of the glutenfree
lifestyle. For three generations, the family has
embraced gluten-free foods and understanding
the difficulty in finding high-quality, delicious
gluten-free baked goods in the US today, they set
out to solve this problem with Breadblok.
Breadblok sets a new standard in gluten-free
baking, using the finest, purest ingredients to
make artisan breads, pastries and more that satisfy
the needs of every health-conscious lifestyle.
Bringing reimagined French staples to the heart
of Los Angeles, Breadblok features a delicious
seasonal menu of gluten-free breads, croissants
and other baked goods, as well as a variety of
products that ship nationwide.
For Chloé Charlier, the key factors to success
included extensive research and development
before entering the market.
" From the start, I knew I wanted the product to
be super clean. I know the importance and rarity
of truly knowing what is in food nowadays, and
therefore the value of brands and restaurants that
are transparent about that, " she says.
Chloé was born in Paris and grew up mostly in
London.
" My earliest influences were my grandparents.
My grandpa was diagnosed celiac before there
were any gluten-free alternatives on the market, "
she recalls. " This led our family to educate
ourselves on the benefits of a gluten-free lifestyle
INSIDE IBIE | 101
and create our own gluten-free foods. "
Living throughout Europe was another huge
influence for Charlier. She noticed that throughout
all different cultures and countries, bread was always
the centerpiece of every table, for each meal. Also,
in Europe there is a bakery on every block, and the
baked goods are made fresh from scratch every day.
" I wanted to bring that European feel and
quality, with a gluten-free spin, for people who
have missed those foods for so long, " she says.
Charlier moved to Santa Monica in 2014 and initially
was working in marketing. She recalls struggling
to find any healthy gluten-free places to eat.
" I noticed many people in the city had the
same problem with their own dietary restrictions
as well - whether that was gluten-free, paleo,
vegan, etc., " she says. " There was just such a
need for clean bread and baked goods. There
was especially a lack of gluten-free health foods
with European influence. I was craving the same
pastries and breads I had enjoyed growing up. "
Now, rice flour is a great foundation for many of
their baked goods; it is very versatile. They also use
Psyllium husk often. It has a binding component,
which is helpful when you are cooking without
gluten. Also, great dairy - for example using
European butter with a higher fat percentage - is
a key component to their cooking. In general, they
do not sacrifice on ingredients, and that has made a
huge difference. They use only top-quality suppliers
and components, and that has been a key to the
bakery perfecting the recipes.
*
" WE CANNOT
PRODUCE
ENOUGH BREAD
RIGHT NOW FOR
THE MARKET. "
Tony Moré,
La Segunda Bakery
Megan Swann
IBIE - 2022 Special Edition & Show Preview

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