Money cannot buy happiness – Nora Allen, the head baker at Mel the Bakery would most certainly argue that it can buy you something on par with happiness; local organic grains. Nora is a part of a new generation of hyper-local bakers within New York City who strive to not only support grain farmers in the Hudson Valley, while simultaneously creating delicious baked goods.
I found out about Nora and the bakery while my Instagram explore feed was dotted with wonderful baked goods. I was amidst a sourdough obsession and stumbled upon one of the photos of a loaf cross section from Mel. I was in search of more places to explore in New York as I was gearing up to begin my Bachelor’s degree at the Culinary Institute of America, so I became eager to try the intricately scored croissants and organic breads Mel had to offer.
After about a year of drooling over their baked good photos, I finally had the chance of visiting Mel in 2022 which I was also able to have a wonderful conversation with Nora. People who have a passion have a certain glow and you can see that glow pouring out of the front door at Mel. Nora had taken time to step out of the kitchen to answer some questions I had about her work. This small interaction shifted my view of Nora from not only a talented baker but to a passionate advocate for heirloom local grains, and what that looks like within a metropolitan city.
Recently, I was able to have a more in-depth conversation with Nora to discuss her career and how she navigates running a business through a post-pandemic economy. Firstly, I asked about how she decided to become a baker. Nora had grown up in the DC area where she had began working in kitchens from her first job as a pasta prep cook at the mere age of fifteen. She recalled constantly being surrounded by people who work with food, whether it be during her time living in Nashville befriending Julia Sullivan or after her decision to move to New York City. Nora also states that she “always has cared about nourishing people,” which initially lead her to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in public health and writing. Being in the food industry had helped grow her passion for nourishing people which specifically grew within baking bread. The longer that Nora had spent in baking spaces around the country she had a constant question circling her mind; “Why are more people not passionate about grains?”
This lead to Nora becoming involved with Mel which since she has helped in its inception and creation has found a community of bakers in New York who are working cooperatively to support local farmers and heirloom grains. As we continued, I inquired about the inner workings of running a bakery in 2023. I discovered that one of the biggest challenges with running Mel is space for equipment and space usage. This space issue was especially troublesome because Nora mills the flour in house and requires space for holding the grain until its ready for milling. Nora wanted the ability to buy loads of grain to put more money in farmers pockets which is partially why this issue has been mitigated by the network of city bakers.
Furthermore, I thought it was important to find out what the largest expense is in such a bakery, which to my surprise is surprises! Nora had mentioned how unplanned repairs often end up costing the business more money and it is not accounted for prior because it could happen at anytime. She also mentioned that the cost of goods are higher than a conventional bakery due to quality; luckily this is an expense that can easily be managed and accounted for. On the contrary, Nora mentioned how the lowest expense is the barley which she adores for its flavor and universal uses.
As a business that was created through the Covid-19 pandemic, Nora was constantly learning and adjusting aspects to really push Mel forward in a world that was so uncertain. When I asked Nora how inflation has affected business, I not only learned the literal monetary relationships but it opened a book into something much more human. Nora had described the increase in price of gloves during the height of the pandemic and how everyone had to become more conscious of how they discard the gloves. “For everything that seems like an obstacle, can actually be beneficial” Nora stated. Not only did the staff have to be conscious but it actively taught them how to be less wasteful in general.
As I was sitting on the train, hearing Nora answer my questions over the phone I could not help but feel a sense of pride to hear someone in the food industry not only wish to make the best product but better everyone involved with it. Nora had many quotes that really stuck with me but in particular this one “Be the Person you want to see, be the person you wish you had.” I hope we can all eat good bread, do what we love and be the person you want to see in the world.
(Since this article was written, Mel has closed its doors as they are in the process of moving locations)