Six months ago, Yeshe Dawa started baking bread as a side project and a hobby, three months later she resigned from her full time job to dedicate more time and energy into her business The Midnight Baker.
“I’ve always loved baking, cooking and sharing food,” said Dawa.
“A few years ago I went gluten and dairy free to help with eczema. At the time I found myself wanting more gluten free bread options and decided to make my own bread. Friends wanted to try it and so I started making it for them and it has grown slowly through word of mouth.”
Despite not being formally trained in baking, her love of baking has been passed down through generations of her family. “My Pop was a traditional baker and owned a bakery for many years. My Nan and Mum are both fantastic bakers as well and it’s from them that I learnt how to bake. From building gingerbread houses at Christmas to making my first butterfly cupcakes as a kid.”
Auckland based, Dawa from The Midnight Baker uses a commercial kitchen in the evenings. “It is a café during the day so I start when they finish and bake through the night.”
Currently Dawa sells directly to customers and supplies a few Auckland based cafes and restaurants like Catroux, Odettes, Dear Jervois, Sip Kitchen, The Shelter and The Strand. “I overnight courier fresh bread to customers outside of Auckland and would love to grow the number of establishments and outlets that use and stock my bread as I believe it’s a really great gluten, wheat and dairy free option.” The Midnight Baker produces artisan bread, the Freedom Loaf. This is fresh and made to order by hand each week. There are two options for the Freedom Loaf, one being the Natural Loaf that contains oats so it is wheat free but not gluten free. The other is a Buckwheat version that is both gluten and wheat free.
“The bread is also free of dairy, refined sugar, yeast, eggs and a whole host of other unnecessary additives. I’m working on a paleo version which I am pretty close to cracking too!”
