Grange welcomes Oh My Bread, a new artisanal boulangerie from a pair of Crust & Co. alumni
The closure of Crust & Co. after last February’s floods was a serious blow for Brisbane’s baked-goods landscape. But, like a phoenix rising from the ashes (or, in this case, mud), the brains behind the beloved loaf maker have returned to the scene with a brand-new concept in tow. Now open in a flood-proof part of Grange, cosy croissant slinger Oh My Bread is continuing Crust & Co.’s legacy of making phenomenal French-inspired goods, from dreamy danishes to stellar sourdoughs. Here’s what’s on offer…
This time last year, Brisbane locals were in the weeds.
Many were grappling with the ramifications of the weather event that devastated large swathes of Southeast Queensland, with the slowly receding flood levels leaving numerous businesses – including many fixtures of Brisbane’s hospitality scene – facing months of cleaning, repairing and refurbishing. While some operators managed to find their feet and reopen, some were not as fortunate.
Crust & Co. Artisan Baking, one of Brisbane’s leading baked-goods wholesalers and a lauded pastry pit stop, was an unfortunate casualty of the torrential downpour. Water surged over the banks of the engorged Enoggera Creek, flooding the brick warehouse on Edmondstone Street in Wilston that Crust & Co. had called home since 2013. Thousands of dollars worth of stock and specialist baking equipment was lost, which proved to be an insurmountable hurdle for owner Sebastien Pisasale, who announced a few months later that Crust & Co. would stay closed permanently.
“We thought we could start again, but after we assessed all the damage we realised we wouldn’t be able to,” reflects Sebastien. “Everything was gone – we had 2.4-m of water inside the building. We knew we couldn’t do it, at least not in this location – we’d need at least six months to start again.”
While croissant cravers and loaf lovers mourned the loss of one of Brisbane’s best pastry purveyors, Sebastien and his team went their separate ways but kept in touch. Soon enough, an opportunity to start afresh presented itself to Sebastien in late-2022 in the form of a cosy shopfront next to Huskk Cafe on Days Road – previously home to Bella and Tortie, which closed in December 2022.
The site, not far from Crust & Co.’s original catchment and already equipped to house a baked-goods concept, was the perfect location for a new concept. So, Sebastien decided to get the band back together, teaming up with Crust & Co.’s former head baker and 2IC Trifide Belkacemi to establish Oh My Bread, a brand-new bakery that quietly opened to the public on Saturday March 11.
Though it boasts plenty of shared DNA with its predecessor, Oh My Bread is not Crust & Co. 2.0. Where Crust & Co. was a wholesale powerhouse that supplied a clutch of Brisbane’s best cafes, Sebastien and Trifide’s new concept follows a leaner operational model.
“The idea is to focus on the retail – no more wholesale,” says Sebastien. “One reason is that it gives us a bit more of a life and the other reason is that we can focus on the quality of the retail product and on the quantities.”
At Oh My Bread, French baking techniques are employed to create a tight range of breads, pastries, savouries and viennoiseries, with a host of new items featuring amongst the spread. “There’s plenty of new stuff,” says Sebastian. “We’ve changed the recipe for the croissant and changed the danishes – instead of using compote we are using fresh fruit now, which is great. Instead of doing 250 danishes a night we’re doing 30, but we’re making them perfect.”
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On the bread front, expect to see plain white sourdough, wholemeal loaves, dark rye loaves and sesame baguettes, while the pastry cabinet is filled with croissants, blueberry danishes and New York rolls (croissant dough baked into a scroll, which is then filled cream and crowned with tasty toppings). The selection is set to grow in the coming weeks, with a broadened array of savoury items to come. Sebastian and Trifide aren’t completely forsaking the Crust & Co. days – fans of the iconic pistachio croissant will be stoked to hear that the treat has made the transition to Oh My Bread.
“Those will always be here,” says Sebastien, laughing. “We can’t take those off.”
Oh My Bread is now open to the public from Thursday to Sunday. Head to The Directory for operating hours and more information.