San Francisco Baking Institute - History and Founding

History and Founding

Suas began baking at age 14 in Brittany, France. At age 21 he became head pastry chef at Barrier, a Michelin Guide three-star restaurant in Tours, France. Several years later Suas and his wife immigrated to the United States and toured the country in a Volkswagen van, ending up in San Francisco in 1987, which was in the midst of a "bread revolution". He soon began consulting with for the city's new artisan bakeries. Acme Bread was his first client, and La Brea Bakery was his second, followed by many others throughout the United States including Metropolis, Grace Baking, Boudin Bakery, and Thomas Keller's restaurants.

In 1996 Suas opened the Institute. In 2005 the Institute was the training center for the American team that won the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie, a world championship for bakers held every three years at Europain, a bread exhibition in Paris, France.