Featured: Deeann Hall from Eugene City Bakery

By Michelle Judd from Taste As You Go

Deeann Hall , chef and owner of Eugene City Bakery , taught me a thing or two about seizing an opportunity when it's presented to you, even if it's the unexpected one. Sometimes, it's the uncharted path that leads to the greatest rewards.

What inspired you to go into the bakery business? Was it something you always wanted to do?

I certainly never planned on going into the bakery business, but the opportunity came along, and there I was – in the right place at the right time.

What's it like having the bakery on the edge of the University of Oregon campus? Are most of your customers college students and professors, or do you see customers from all walks of life?

We definitely enjoy having the bakery near campus. There is a lot of young, creative energy passing through and passing by. While we do get a lot of business from the students and the professors, we also see neighborhood families and professionals coming in. Our products reach even reach beyond our retail location, since we also have a wholesale business that supplies local stores and restaurants, as well as venues on the university's campus.

According to your website , your menu was expanded shortly after you took over the bakery. Why did you make the decision to begin offering lunch and dinner?

Offering lunch and dinner seemed like a natural growth opportunity for us, especially considering our location and my experience as a chef.

Do you mind sharing with us where you worked as a chef prior to the bakery? How long were you there?

I've been a chef, a pastry chef, and a caterer for the better part of the past 20 years. Most recently, I was the Executive Chef at King Estate Winery , where I worked for 4 years and helped open their restaurant in 2006.

How has the switch from chef to bakery-owner been for you? Do you also work as a chef at the bakery, or do you only concentrate on the business end of things?

The shift involved a steep learning curve. Not just the commercial bakery part, but more the “becoming the sole owner of a small business” part. I'm the main cook in the kitchen at Eugene City Bakery every day, writing the menu and producing all of the soups, lunch specials, quiche, crepes, etc. that we serve. Thankfully, I have an office manager who helps me with some of the business aspects of the bakery.

If you're in charge of writing the menu, what's your favorite item that you offer? And what about your bread ? What's your favorite type of bread?

I enjoy the rotating variety of soups that we keep on the menu, and my favorite bread is the multigrain sourdough.

What do you do with the bread that doesn't sell during the day?

To cut down on our waste, we try to use up the leftover bread to make crostini, croutons, various forms of bread pudding, etc. We also donate the bread to many local organizations.

It sounds like supporting sustainable practices is important to Eugene City Bakery. Why is that?

Supporting sustainable practices and sustainable agriculture is smart, economical (in the long run), and much better for the planet.

Do you have a baking tip to share with our readers?

When rolling out sticky pie or cookie dough, roll it out between two sheets of plastic wrap, and chill if the dough gets too soft.

If you weren't in the bakery business, what type of career do you think you'd have?

I'd probably be working in interior design.

What about working in interior design appeals to you?

I'm a person who is nurtured by a pleasant environment almost as much as I am nurtured by food. The texture, flavor, color, and composition that I strive for on a plate can be easily transferred to the design of a room. They both involve a three-dimensional visual and sensual aesthetic for me.

So, what's in store for Eugene City Bakery for the future?

Someday, we'd like to remodel to provide more indoor seating and stay open longer so we can offer our customers the option of staying for sit-down meals.

Eugene City Bakery
1607 East 19 th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97403
(541) 334-6906 (bakery)
(541) 485-8380 (office)

 

 

 

Website: http://www.eugenecitybakery.com/

Hours:
6:30 AM to 6 PM, Monday-Wednesday;
6:30 AM to 9 PM, Thursday-Friday;
7 AM to 9 PM, Saturday;
7 AM – 4 PM, Sunday