Fresh bread from Jeff (Hof Kelsten)

This week we’re going to introduce you to a new and very special supplier of Montreal’s famous bread, Boulangerie Hof Kelsten.

When it opened, about five years ago, Boulangerie Hof Kelsten, was a small and unique bakery in the Mile End, Montreal. “I wanted to offer something that I find Montreal was missing, the old school bread, simple and delicious” said owner Jeff Finkelstein.

Growing up in Côte-St-Luc, he was always passionate about authentic delicacies and pastries. He knew what the real bread should taste like, and found himself not satisfied with today’s drive to make "more, faster.”

For the largest part of the bread baking industry, the machines have replaced people in order to deliver larger quantities of bread faster. For Jeff that was a real problem, “The people around the whole process is the most important thing. Supporting real people and businesses whether it's local or not, organic or not quite, it's very important that the people behind the process are good people.” Jeff explained. 

At Hof Kelsten, the team of four bake the bread for long fermentation times ranging between 10-24 hours. “We're going back to the basics and touching on our heritage of bread making. That takes time. The slow process really brings out the fantastic flavours. It’s more than just a process, it’s culture and heritage…” he explained.

While the more traditional process of bread making does result in amazingly tasting fresh bread in your basket every morning, it also requires a lot of planning and constant work from the Hof Kelsten team. The process starts at around 9 pm and goes on all night until noon the next day. “In reality though, it never stops, something is raising somewhere here right now,” Jeff gestured at the bakery.

So when good people bake your bread, it reflects on the taste. According to Cedric, our treasure hunter who welcomed Jeff and his team to our family, once you try Jeff’s bread you simply fall in love. And that is true as Hof Kelsten is the one and only choice when it comes to bread for a lot of very known Montreal restaurants like Joe Beef, Leméc, Toqué (where Jeff used to work) and Le Club Chasse et Pêche.

Hof Kelsten is an Eastern European deli in the front and a bakery in the back, so apart from bread, you can get some of the best brisket sandwiches, chopped liver, their famous gravlax, and more.

To start though, don't hesitate to add a fresh loaf of Jeff’s bread in your basket this week (let’s leave the sandwiches for later).

Bon apétit!