IBIE - 2022 Special Edition & Show Preview - 99

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culinary innovation leader for La Brea Bakery, based
in Los Angeles. " The experimentation going on with
all these ingredients and techniques is incredible.
Bread is back - because of sourdough. "
Sourdough has gained such fame that it has its
own holiday, National Sourdough Day on April 1.
The idea derived from the desire to pair flavorful,
crusty breads to complement rich and sophisticated
Mediterranean dishes. Little did the company know that
La Brea Bakery ultimately would grow into the leading
artisan bread brand in the United States. The La Brea
Bakery brand and its artisan sourdough bread are the
brainchild of award-winning chef Nancy Silverton.
In June 1989, Silverton opened the restaurant
Campanile with partners Mark Peel and Manfred
Krankl, where she developed an interest in artisan
sourdough bread and began experimenting with it.
These experiments would ultimately yield artisan
bakery La Brea Bakery adjacent to Campanile.
After much trial and error, the mastermind
behind La Brea Bakery crafted the perfect living
starter consisting of flour, water and wild yeasts
from the skin of organic grapes. From there, La
Brea Bakery's six original archetypal artisan breads
were created: Sourdough Baguette, Country
White Sourdough, Whole Wheat Boule, Normandy
Rye, Kalamata Olive and Rosemary Olive Oil. Soon,
Los Angeles residents and tourists alike were lined
up out the door on a daily basis to get their hands on
a La Brea Bakery loaf.
Today, La Brea Bakery offers more than 100 different
varieties of award-winning artisan breads and
still uses its same signature starter in every La Brea
Bakery loaf. La Brea Bakery's sourdough has been a
delicious staple on tables for more than 30 years.
Davis speaks of the recent growth in sourdough's
popularity, the bread's health benefits and how La
Brea Bakery ensures its sourdough is one of the top
artisan breads available in local grocery stores.
Not to mention the convenience factor. Innovative
products like La Brea Bakery's Take & Bake Ancient
Grain Twin Pack Baguette offer a blend of 9 grains
and seeds along with the slow fermentation of La
Brea's signature sourdough, resulting in a multi-textured
eating experience. And with the restrictions of
the Covid pandemic starting to loosen, the business
of sourdough bread is on the rise.
" Manage our core. That's what I see everybody
doing now, " Davis says. " I see positive things.
Communication is a lot better - being as transparent
as possible. That's a positive. "
Environmental measures
The Cheesecake Factory Inc. has a track record of
leading and operating its restaurants in alignment
with environmental sustainability and social responsibility
including tying a portion of fiscal 2022 executive
bonus compensation to its sustainable sourcing
policy and climate commitments.
" Making this commitment is a wonderful progression
that builds upon our award-winning sustainable
sourcing and food recovery programs, " says
Megan Bloomer, vice president of sustainability for
The Cheesecake Factory. " The company has taken a
creative approach to sustainability, forging and maintaining
collaborative partnerships with advocacy
organizations and industry thought leaders to ensure
we are setting relevant goals and reaching credible
achievements. "
The Cheesecake Factory marked the first step in
creating its climate strategy by signing the Science
Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) Commitment Letter
and plans to submit reduction targets to SBTi for
validation. Upon acceptance, the company plans to
publish its approved targets on the SBTi website and
in the company's annual CSR report.
" With this action, The Cheesecake Factory has
demonstrated their commitment to credible climate
reduction goals and science-based transition plans, "
said Danielle Fugere, president of As You Sow.
*
The Cheesecake
Factory ties
some bonus
compensation to
its sustainability
measures.
INSIDE IBIE | 99
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