Written by Sophie Leopold, Photos by Kendra Frankle
By definition, auspicious is an adjective meaning ‘conducive to success; favorable.’ For Kaitlyn Bryant and Mark Ekstrom, the fiancé owner duo of Auspicious Baking Company, it’s their preferred method of baking with love.
“It’s all about the feeling that we put into our baking, the environment in which the food is prepared,” Bryant said.
Bryant sourced inspiration from the Gypsy philosophy of infusing homemade food with positivity. To be auspicious in the kitchen is to cook with good fortune, so the person eating prospers. Auspicious has not only become a way to describe Bryant’s baking mantra but her culinary beginnings as well.
While Bryant grew up as a chef’s daughter, ease ruled at home. Low key meals on the fly were often the result of her father’s hectic schedule. When Bryant’s dad was around to make a family feast, she learned the virtues of slowing down to savor. The resonant message: good food takes time.
Today, Bryant thrives on playing with ingredients to introduce new recipes, without losing touch with her foundation of simplicity.
“A lot of what you see reflected on the menu are comfortable, convenient foods, such as poptarts, ham and cheese sandwiches,” Bryant said.
In high school, Bryant worked as a busser, her first foray into fine dining. There, the pastry chef took her under his wing. Bryant recalls him “looking after the kids,” and slipping them bread to fuel through the shift. Bryant remained in that restaurant for several years, earning her rise through the ranks. Stepping up to a food runner position allowed her to get closer to the food. From training new hires to prepping salads and appetizers, she eventually landed the role as head pastry chef at age seventeen.
“A young chef was thrown in when we lost our executive,” Bryant said. “He was given a chance, and then he gave me one. I was taught to sink or swim at a young age.”
When Bryant and fiancé Ekstrom arrived in Savannah they were delighted by the active food scene. But instead of latching on to an established bakery, they had the initiative to found a unique venture.
“I think at first it was about finding my place, then not finding it, which turned into opening our own,” Bryant said. “No one was there to give me the dream job, so I created it for myself.”
They began life in Savannah taking restaurant jobs to gain more experience. When the opportunity struck to make their goals a brick and mortar reality, they jumped on it. For the past two years, the Auspicious kitchen and storefront on Skidaway Road has been hosting bi-weekly bake sales. Sunday mornings, perfect for a post church treat; and Tuesdays, with hours extending into the afternoon for lunch specials. On the days doors are closed to public, the Auspicious team is busy baking for the businesses around town selling their product. Find Auspicious goodies at Perc Coffee Roasters, The Paris Market, Mirabelle Café, Brighter Day Natural Foods, Purrvana Café and Cat Lounge, El Coyote, Toasted Barrel, Fox and Fig Café, Cohen’s Retreat and Wyld.
Since the community can’t get enough of Auspicious, Bryant and Ekstrom continue to strive for more. As the new year approaches, Auspicious is preparing for an expansion and move to a new location. Devotees can follow their pastry cravings to Skidaway Road and Ferguson Avenue, where a growing menu and retail seating soon awaits.
In the meantime, pulling a batch of fresh baked bread out of the oven is a routine joy for Bryant.
“I load something into the oven, asking how’s this going to turn out?” Bryant said. “Then the relief, even after hundreds of times. Every day the fear keeps us honest that way.”
