Behind the Scenes of TGM Bread

The bakery’s open-concept style allows visitors to catch a glimpse of production while they eat.

TGM Bread is helmed by artisinal baker Rob Alexander.

Weekend retail hours offer a variety of freshly baked breads for purchase.

Customers may visit TGM Breadby Tuesday–Friday for lunch pop-ups serving hot soups and sandwiches

The Rapini Panini.

The latest concept from the team behind The General Muir, TGM Bread provides product for The General Muir and its sister concepts—Fred’s Meat & Bread, Yalla, and West Egg Café—as well as a growing list of wholesale clients.

Previously, you were head baker at The General Muir, which is right next door. What spurred the bakery expansion?
TGM Bread grew from the need to serve our partner restaurants, as well as the greater demand from the public for our baked goods. We joked that maybe if this space ever became available we’d just take it over—and then it happened. This is much bigger than what I was working in, and with our current demand, we decided we could take on the space confidently.

What excites you about this space?
Probably the number one thing is the oven. It’s what’s called a deck oven. It’s imported from Germany, and it does a great job at baking items that require a crispy crust, like baguettes or some of the levain products we make, which are the European hearth-style breads.

The open-kitchen design seems noteworthy.
It’s definitely part of the plan to show some demonstration of the bakers at work. I think it’s a very sensory experience. People don’t just want to buy a croissant or baguette, but they enjoy having the experience of
the theater and the action. That’s part of it, the whole business– consumer relationship.

TGM has recently expanded to include both retail hours and lunchtime pop-ups. what does this new location mean for your offerings?
The product list has slightly expanded from when I was working next door in a much smaller area. There are some specialty products and other items that use heritage grains that I expect to roll out on the weekend retail hours. Those days are the perfect avenues for us to demonstrate these specialty items.

TGM is also providing product wholesale for local spots such as Ticonderoga Club. Will that expand?
Wholesale production is growing every week. We’ve sold some bread to The Luminary, and it’s absolutely part of the plan to expand the wholesale business. And then if there are more concepts that The General Muir restaurant group opens, I’d of course serve them as well.

thegeneralmuir.com/bread