FOUNDER
About Chelsa
In 2020, after a lifelong love affair with bread, Chelsa (she/her; pronounced Chels-uh)taught herself how to make sourdough. After spending the pandemic honing her skills in sourdough baking by making bread for her friends and neighbors, she officially launched Bread By Chelsa.
Open since 2021, Bread By Chelsa is a home-based, microbakery in Des Moines, Iowa specializing in small-batch sourdough bread and naturally leavened treats. All of our baked goods are made with wild-yeast sourdough culture, organic flours, and a lot of time and love in a certified home food establishment. We sell our baked goods through local shops, preorders, and at local restaurants and markets, across the Des Moines metro.
Since our opening, our capacity and team have grown. The bakery is now more than just Chelsa (owner, founder, and resident baker), it includes a handful of other bakers. While Chelsa no longer bakes out of her home oven to produce her bread, she still bakes out of her home! Our home bakery is certified through the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing as a Home Food Processing Establishment.
At Bread by Chelsa, we are committed to staying small and intimate, utilizing the best ingredients, and keeping things local. We believe healthy, homemade bread is one of the greatest joys in life. We believe in having a connection with the food you eat. We believe bakeries are at the heart of a community. We want to grow our bakery alongside our community. Our bakery is our home and our home is our bakery.
We believe healthy, homemade bread is one of the greatest joys in life.
Running A Micro-Bakery
With four years of experience, we're constantly learning and compiling resources. Stay tuned for curated guides for microbakery owners.
Need personalized advice? Let us be your microbakery mentor. Our consultancy service starts at $75 per hour. Schedule a consultation by emailing us or filling out inquiry form and let's bring your bakery dreams to life!
MORE COMING SOON
ALL ABOUT FLOUR
Our commitment to quality starts with our flour – exclusively organic and regionally sourced from Breadtopia in Fairfield, Iowa, and Early Morning Harvest in Panora, Iowa. By using only the best ingredients, we ensure that each bite is not only flavorful but also supports local farmers and sustainable practices.
LEARN MORE - COMING SOON
BEST TOOLS AROUND
With years of hands-on experience baking sourdough bread and running a sourdough microbakery, we've honed our knowledge of essential tools for both baking and microbakery management. Every recommendation we offer is personally tested and trusted.
IN PERSON LEARNING
For those eager to master the craft of sourdough baking themselves, Chelsa shares her expertise of sourdough through immersive, in-person sourdough bread classes at Rose Farm in Norwalk, Iowa. From the fundamentals of sourdough to the art of crafting delectable focaccia and beyond, Join us to elevate your baking skills and enjoy delicious bread made with passion.