Chef Minh and her husband Eli chose a fitting name for their business: The Good Loaf. Here’s a culinary adventure and sourdough baking project that produces delectable sourdough bagels, loaves, naan, plus their signature Pandan Milk Coconut Bread, all with a community-centric approach. You’ll find them on the Sunshine Coast, in Davis Bay – and at the Sechelt Farmers’ Market!
Growing up in a Vietnamese household, food was always central to Chef Minh’s family gatherings. This deep connection to food inspired a passion for baking and eventually led her to establish The Good Loaf. These experiences navigating different cultures and communities taught her the importance of sharing and connecting people through the joy of food.
One of Minh’s fondest memories is spending time in the kitchen with her grandmother making vegetarian noodle soup from scratch. As they prepared fresh ingredients she watched her grandmother’s hands skillfully crafting the broth, filling it with warmth and love, reminding Minh of the deep connection between food and family.
Success for Chef Minh means creating meaningful connections through her bread while fostering a sense of community. And it seems she’s done just that. Since starting The Good Loaf in 2023, Minh has sourced the finest ingredients from local farmers, is a familiar vendor at the Sechelt Farmers’ Market, and occasionally offers local cooking classes.
Community means support, connection, and shared experiences. Since becoming a farmers’ market vendor, Minh says her understanding of community has significantly evolved. She loves the unity among local producers and treasures the genuine connections that form with customers. From immersing herself in the community, these interactions have strengthened her understanding of how essential local networks are for businesses, and, importantly, for a thriving and resilient society. As Minh elegantly put it, “It’s a beautiful ecosystem where we uplift each other, fostering growth and support.”
Of course, running a small business in its first year hasn’t come without hiccups. Minh and Eli began their journey in a home kitchen with a small oven, which limited the amount of production. As demand grew, they upgraded to a new home oven but quickly outgrew that as well. Next, they found a commissary kitchen with access to professional convection ovens, allowing for greater output, but not the best results for their bread.
After quite a few loaves went to the chicken coop, she came up with a difficult process that required roasting pans and switching ovens halfway through the bake. This proved to have better results but unfortunately was not very safe and became a bottleneck in their output. As their customer base expanded even further, they invested in their own bread ovens – which is what they use today. Each transition required significant adjustments in their processes, and they are already running close to max again! We love to see new local businesses thriving and can’t wait to see what the next year – and many more – have in store for The Good Loaf.
During the 2024 BC Farmers’ Market summer season, The Good Loaf could be found in the Hatch + Hype tent at the Sechelt Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market on Saturdays from 9 am to 2:30 pm. You can find out more about them and where they’ll be next on their website. We wish them continued success!