Chef Angel Chavez
And from this pandemic rises Au Levain
Angel Chavez launched Au Levain as a side project during the pandemic. As a child, he spent all his free time at his grandfather's bakery. The assorted aromas of yeast and butter and sugar cooking bring back such heartwarming memories for Chavez.
Chavez and his family moved to America when he was ten years old where he had to say goodbye to his grandfather who stayed behind to run his bakery. Those moments at his grandfather's bakery kept him motivated to eventually enroll in culinary school. Here, he rediscovered his love for fermentation and channels his grandfather to produce exceptional products.
His career has been rooted in Chicago, spanning from The Boarding House, Nellcote to Benny's Chop House, and now going full circle from pastry cook to pastry chef at Bistro Campagne. With their support, Chavez is using the kitchen weekly as a virtual kitchen hub for Au Levain.
Au Levain is a virtual bakery based in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood offering a limited yet high-quality selection of baked goods. Pre-orders are accepted weekly for pick-up on Sunday and are available for wholesale orders. Each order is a step closer to opening a brick-and-mortar in the future.