Each new person that works with us at Avenue Bread has their own unique personality, perspective, and for those in the kitchen and prep, new approach to food. Recently we have had the opportunity to see one of our employees grow and transition into the role of Food Manager and we’d like to take the time to formally introduce her to the community!
Meet Sara Warberg-Dolan.
From the time Sara arrived at Avenue Bread, her creativity was admired by many. Having grown up drawing and painting since a child, she further developed her skills throughout school, eventually landing herself at the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, OR. With her BA in Art and a focus on Printmaking, Sara lived in Portland where she eventually met her now wife, Heidi, and they made their way north to Bellingham about 4 years ago.
Admittedly, Sara says she never gave cooking much thought in her younger years. One of her initial jobs in Bellingham working for a catering company is where her creativity with food first clicked. Eventually coming to Avenue Bread and working under our long-time beloved Prep Manager, Trudy, Sara was able to develop her food skills and eventually have the freedom to experiment with different flavor profiles.
After Trudy stepped back from her long reign in our kitchen hub, Sara stepped in with newly found confidence, enthusiasm, and excitement to showcase what she has learned and what she can offer. When asked what some of her favorite creations have been, Sara responded:
“I make some really killer beef stew. Most recently, however, I made a puree of sweet potato with brown butter and sage that is also pretty good.”
Pretty good is an understatement. It’s been one of the more popular puree soups we’ve had, but of course her creations don’t stop there! Sara has revamped the sausage gravy that many know from weekends at the James Street café. To go along with it, Sara comes in each morning to hand prepare and bake buttery, crumbly, fresh biscuits on Saturdays and Sundays. Additionally, she’s provided Vegetarian and Vegan Bahn Mi lovers across Bellingham with a Tofu version that we proudly offer on our menus. The marinade she created is salty, sweet, with a small bite that even meat lovers alike adore.
If you can’t tell from this post, we’re very proud of Sara and so appreciative of the time and dedication she has given Avenue Bread. She’s already made such a positive mark on this place and we cannot wait to see how much further she develops here.
“CREATIVITY IS INTELLIGENCE HAVING FUN”
Albert Einstein
Short Q&A time with Sara…
What do you like to cook when you’re at home?
“My wife’s favorite food that I make at home is pizza from scratch with lots of garlic and cheese. However, my favorite food to make outside of work is smoked oysters.”
If you were a soup, what ingredients would you be made of?
“Milk and Reese’s Puffs”
What are some interests and hobbies outside of cooking?
“I like to make art, play video games and go fishing. I also love sitting outside in the sun whole our two cats, Harvey and Chicken Nugget, roll around in the dirt.”
