Angel Chavez launched Au Levain as a side project during the height of the pandemic. As a child, he spent his free time at his grandfather's bakery. The assorted aromas of yeast, butter, and sugar cooking brought back such heartwarming memories for Chavez.
Chavez and his family moved to America when Chavez was ten years old, and he had to say goodbye to his grandfather, who stayed behind to run his bakery. Those moments at his grandfather's bakery eventually motivated him to enroll in culinary school. Here, he rediscovered his love for fermentation and channeled his grandfather to produce exceptional products.
Au Levain began as a virtual bakery based in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood for four years. It eventually grew to a brick-and-mortar location in nearby North Center.
