Meet Aimee Wingen | Chef/Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aimee Wingen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aimee, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Our business was born out of the pandemic but also out of the process of grief. When my daughter was born in December 2019 and immediately diagnosed with a terminal genetic disorder our lives were turned upside down. They were again flipped when Covid hit in 2020. Although my daughter only lived for 8 months she inspired me to take comfort in the slow, arduous process of baking sourdough. Something I had done at my previous job before Covid. Her medical schedule throughout the day was very regimented and so was the sourdough. It kept me steady, gave me something to focus on amiss the uncertainty in the world and in my life. Then, there was the need. The need for a bakery in the town of Livermore. We started passing out loaves to our friends who then told their friends and neighbors who wanted to buy the bread and it took off.

Our daughter passed away in August of 2020 and we opened our brick and mortar in June of 2021.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Wingen Bakery is a bakery that specializes in Sourdough Bread but is not limited to just bread. We also specialize in a variety of pastry, bagels, coffee service, breakfast, lunch, beer & wine as well as a pizza night!

We make everything in house and source our ingredients locally which means we are a market driven restaurant. The menu changes as the seasons do and you can always find consistent products with the best flavors of that time of year.

Our bakery was born out of grief for our daughter Baby Waylynn and the pandemic. We overcame lots of challenges in the beginning but our path was always authentic along the way. We miss our daughter every day but having a space that honors her and being able to talk about her openly with so many customers has been cathartic and motivating.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First of all we would wake up and grab some food at the bakery, obviously. The bagels first thing in the morning are the best thing ever.

Then, I’d walk them downtown and show them our beautiful historic downtown. We’d hit up Maple Street and visit our friend Paul at Story Coffee for a mid-afternoon beverage. While we are there we would stop into the Cheese Parlor and grab some snacks for wine tasting. Brandon would pick us out a good array and maybe we’d snag a baguette.

Then I’d take them to a winery or two for lunch and wine tasting. Some favorites are Steven Kent, Murrieta’s Well, Darcie Kent and Omega Road. We’d take in the beautiful scenery on the outskirts of Livermore and then head home to freshen up for dinner at Range Life! Range Life is owned by our friends Bill & Sarah Niles and it’s our favorite place in town to eat and drink.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to shoutout to the community of Livermore. Without their support throughout all stages of the bakery we would not be where we are today. That ranges from our customers, city council members, local restauranteurs, farmers, friends and family.

Website: www.wingenbakery@gmail.com

Instagram: @wingenbakery

Image Credits
Photo of Bryan and Aimee standing in door and photo of avocado toast taken by Brooke Shattuck Photography. All other photos are taken by Aimee