Rising Son

There’s nothing more irresistible, Julian Loué believes, than the aromas wafting out of a French boulangerie. As a child visiting France with his parents (his father is French), that intoxicating smell of fresh-baked bread never failed to draw him in. As an adult, Julian never aspired to work in the food industry, but that changed after he took a sourdough bread class with Chef John Malik in 2019. “I never liked baking; I never wanted to measure anything,” Loué declares. “So it was strange that I became the one obsessing over the theory and technique of baking.” Not wanting to go off half-baked, he started making bread as a hobby and giving away extra loaves to friends and neighbors.

Word of mouth spread and demand grew, ultimately leading to his decision to leave his full-time job as an insurance adjuster and open Rise Bakery. From rustic country loaves and simple jambon beurre sandwiches to a mouth-watering assortment of viennoiserie, Loué hopes to recreate his boulangerie experience for everyone.

Rise Bakery Fan Favorites

Country Loaf – Naturally leavened from the sourdough starter that John Malik gave him, this rustic loaf is what sparked Loué’s passion for baking bread. “There’s something about a rustic, crusty, crunchy, chewy loaf of bread that resonates very deeply with me. I want people to appreciate the complexity of flavor in a well-caramelized crust, and the time it takes to develop the aromas and flavors of the bread. For me, there’s nothing more pleasing.”

Morning Buns – Among Rise Bakery’s delectable pastries, morning buns are the top sellers. “I take the croissant dough and add a cinnamon-sugar mixture, then bake them and toss them in sugar. I add a little bit of salt so they hit both sweet and savory notes.”

Focaccia – The sky’s the limit for toppings on this dimpled Italian bread. Loué currently offers fresh rosemary and sea salt or herbs de Provence and red onion versions, and plans for more. “When the bakery opens, I’ll probably do a daily focaccia pizza for a quick lunch.”

Croissants – “I’m a firm believer that a croissant is a stand-along food item,” is how Loué describes his favorite example of viennoiserie. He enjoys the time- and labor-intensive process of repeatedly layering the dough of this laminated pastry with butter to create something he deems to be “perfect in its simplicity.”

Danish Pastries – Using the same leavened croissant dough, Loué shapes an assortment of different Danish pastries, using seasonal accompaniments. In spring and summer, he may fill them with strawberry and rhubarb or peach and lavender, and he’s looking forward to experimenting with pastry cream. “Part of the fun of our bakery is that there’s always going to be something new for people to try.”

Photography by Paul Mehaffey