San Leandro's As Kneaded Bakery, run by Iliana Berkowitz, has quadrupled wholesale accounts in one year with stellar challah, bialys, baguettes, and custardy porridge loaves. The bakery represents a wave of nostalgia-driven Jewish bakeries emerging in the Bay Area, though Berkowitz's offerings extend beyond Jewish specialties to attract a wider audience.

Food writer Carolyn Jung highlights Berkowitz's journey from anthropology graduate to baker, opening her San Leandro shop after successful pop-ups. The bakery supplies restaurants like Flea St. Cafe and sells through stores including Berkeley Bowl. Jung praises the honey rye porridge loaf's "custard-like crumb" and notes the rare-in-Bay-Area bialy offerings.

Featured among the West's best bakeries, San Leandro's As Kneaded Bakery is praised for naturally leavened sourdough, French baguettes, and challah. Owner Iliana Berkowitz has built a loyal following particularly for her bostock—thick-cut challah topped with seasonal jam, house-made almond frangipane, and sliced almonds, making it a destination beyond the neighborhood.

San Leandro's As Kneaded Bakery opened in November, transforming from pop-up to brick-and-mortar in just two years. Owner Iliana Imberman Berkowitz creates artisanal breads with "crackling crusts," including challah, porridge bread, and miche. Her mission: delivering "wholesome breads of unparalleled taste, texture, and substance" while aspiring to expand throughout the Bay Area.

As Kneaded Bakery specializes in crusty, naturally leavened sourdough loaves, classic French baguettes, and challah. The bakery, which opened on Nov. 3 and currently operates weekend-only hours, also offers a range of noshes, from bialys and bostocks to morning buns. But, make no mistake, this is not a place for croissants or cookies.

After two years building her bread business through pop-ups and farmers' markets, 30-year-old baker Iliana Imberman Berkowitz opened her first brick-and-mortar shop in San Leandro. Known for her miche and French-style baguettes, Berkowitz boldly claims she makes "the best bread in the Bay Area." Her naturally leavened breads feature darker crusts for maximum flavor.

Growing up in a Jewish household where food analysis was paramount, baker Iliana Imberman Berkowitz opened her San Leandro bakery after building through pop-ups and farmers' markets. She's known for traditional bread-making techniques, particularly her tangy miche and sweet French baguettes (adamantly opposing sourdough baguettes). Hebrew Free Loan helped fund her $80,000 Italian oven.

Founder Iliana Berkowitz "stumbled upon bread by accident" after struggling to find anthropology work post-recession. Starting with pop-ups at Cleophus Quealy Beer Company and farmers' markets, she opened her San Leandro brick-and-mortar in November 2018. Unlike "Cold Stone Creamery-style" bakeries, each bread recipe is distinct, including bestseller honey rye porridge.

Berkowitz started As Kneaded as a 2016 pop-up at Cleophus Quealy brewery before opening her San Leandro storefront. Her East Coast-style, bread-only bakery features distinct doughs for each loaf—unlike Tartine-style bakeries—including miche, French baguettes, honey rye porridge, and challah. The massive Italian oven bakes everything directly on the hearth.