Origins
The Epic, Kinda Scientific, but Definitely Delicious Origin Story
The Foundry Bakery is the beautiful, slightly chaotic product of 3 Great Loves: a deep, crush on food, a dangerously obsessive relationship with science, and, most importantly, our 100% rational, non-creepy affection for people.
Our saga begins, as all the best ones do, with a case of severe, culinary homesickness. Our founder, Ray, was hopelessly smitten with the irresistible smells and glorious flavors of his Taiwanese childhood—a love so profound, he realized his life's mission was simply to have all that yummy in his tummy, all the time.
However, life threw a wrench (or was it a pipette) into his perfectly delicious plans. He moved to St. Louis for graduate school in genetics, which was tough not just because of the long hours in the lab, but because his poor, neglected belly was actively pouting over the lack of proper Californian/Taiwanese sustenance. St. Louis, bless its heart, was severely lacking in good Asian food at the time. Naturally, this crisis spurred a logical solution: the experiments in the lab quietly migrated to the kitchen. Thus, a mad baker-scientist was unleashed upon the world.
His love of science meant he didn't just bake; he dove headfirst into the molecular gastronomy of flour, enzymes, sugars, fats, and heat - tumbling down rabbit holes more complex and consuming than Food Wonderland itself. It was food heaven! (Though the failure rates of startup restaurants quietly nagged if "professional baker" was a solid backup plan to "world-renowned geneticist.")
Then, two genuinely magical things happened. One dark, cold, existential night, while Ray was wrestling with his entire life path, a friend showed up with hot pot soup. It didn't just transform the night; it was basically the culinary equivalent of a superhero origin moment. Shortly after, Ray met Leah, and they bonded immediately over the crucial business of seeking out and devouring good food. Then it hit them: good food doesn't just nourish, it transforms entire moods, forges relationships, and can likely solve 99.9% of the world's problems. It was crystal clear: our bakery had to be front and center in this noble quest—bringing maximum joy to people, one thoughtfully crafted, ridiculously tasty treat at a time.