Hof Kelsten

Born and raised in Montreal, Jeffrey Finkelstein headed to New York to study at the International Culinary School at age 24. With the hopes of perfecting his craft, he spent time as a chef in top Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain, England, Denmark and the USA. With his taste for high-end cuisine satiated, he took a position at a pastry and chocolate shop in Barcelona and discovered a unique interest in baking.

When he returned to Montreal, he began baking bread - just a few loaves a day - and giving them to friends. More serious demand grew, and landmark Montreal restaurants began turning to him for their bread. Soon he was supplying a long-list of Montreal establishments such as Dominion Square Tavern and Joe Beef. "I worked in restaurants for over 20 years and the bread was always an issue," says Jeffrey. "I decided to specialize in creating the best restaurant bread in the city."

When 2014 arrived, it was time to open to the public and make the delicious breads enjoyed in the city's favourite restaurants available every day. "The icing on the cake was to have a place where people in the neighbourhood could stop by and get the bread the pickiest chefs in the city rely on," explains Jeffrey. He moved the bakery to a new location just off of Mont-Royal Avenue on St. Laurent Street, adding a front-end café with tables, individual products and a menu à la carte.