The Great Pastry Hunt:
How We Found Our Match in Chaumont Bakeries
After months of searching for vegan and gluten-free pastries that actually taste amazing, we finally found the unicorn: Chaumont Bakeries. Here’s how it happened.
The Problem We Couldn’t Ignore
"Do you have anything vegan?"
"What about gluten-free options?"
If we had a dollar for every time someone asked these questions, we could’ve bought a bakery of our own by now!
For months, we watched customers’ faces fall when we had to say "No". We knew it was time to change that. But we didn’t want to just check a box. We weren’t going to serve a croissant that tasted “fine… for vegan” or offer a gluten-free muffin that fell apart halfway to the table. We wanted pastries that held up to our BHB standard: actually good, whether you’re plant-based, gluten-sensitive, or just hungry.
So began a months-long hunt—equal parts adventure and agony—to find vegan and gluten-free pastries that didn’t taste like compromise.
Why Vegan and Gluten-Free Pastries Are So Hard to Find
Let’s be honest: alternative pastries are notoriously tricky.We quickly realized why most coffee shops don’t offer them: it’s tough. Really tough.
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Vegan pastries, especially croissants, are tricky. Without butter, you lose that flaky, layered magic. The result is often dense, dry, or sad.
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Gluten-free options are a whole different challenge. Gluten is what gives structure, rise, and texture. Without it, pastries fall apart—or worse, they’re gummy and bland.
Most end up feeling like "the healthy version"—and we didn’t want anyone to feel like they were settling when they ordered from us.
We knew if we were going to offer inclusive pastries, they still had to pass the same test as everything else we serve: Would we eat this and crave it again?
Our Months-Long Search for “The One”
What started as "let's find some better pastry options" turned into an months-long journey that involved more tasting sessions than we care to count. We become pastry critics, sampling so many pastries across Southern California.
Phase 1: Optimism
We reached out to local bakeries and specialty producers across SoCal, certain that someone must have cracked the code on delicious alternative pastries.
Wrong. So very wrong.
Phase 2: Disappointment
We tried:
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Vegan croissants that tasted like cardboard
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Gluten-free muffins that were dry, sandy, or gummy
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Pretty pastries with no substance
Nothing lived up to the standard we were looking for.
Phase 3: Burnout
We considered giving up. Maybe we were asking for too much. Maybe “pretty good for vegan” was all we could expect.
But in the end, we chose to wait for better. We weren’t going to offer anything unless it tasted amazing.
Phase 4:The Chaumont Discovery
Just when we were close to calling it quits, our landlord mentioned Chaumont Bakeries—a well-loved French bakery in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.
We’d heard of them. They’re known for high-end, classic French pastries. But didn't think we could afford them (they are in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills) and we thought we were not big enough to get on their radar.
Still, we reached out. They responded. And then… they sent us 50 pastries to taste.
A Tasting That Changed Everything
From the very first bite of their vegan croissant, we knew something was different. It was:
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Buttery
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Flaky
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Perfectly laminated
And yes, 100% vegan.
The gluten-free pastries were just as surprising:
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Moist
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Flavorful
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Structurally sound
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Not even a hint of “diet food” energy
The running commentary from our team?
“Wait, this is actually good.”
Not good for vegan, or not bad for gluten-free. Just good. Period.
What Makes Chaumont So Different?
After so many underwhelming options, we had to know: what were they doing differently?
Turns out, it’s all about the approach. It's part science, part art.
Their Magic:
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Rebuilding recipes from scratch—not just swapping out ingredients
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Using specialty plant-based fats that behave like butter
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Custom gluten-free flour blends for structure and moisture
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Zero shortcuts, zero afterthoughts
They don’t treat alternative pastries like afterthoughts. These aren't "diet versions" of regular pastries. They're carefully crafted items that happen to be vegan or gluten-free.
The Quality Test: Passed with Flying Colors
Our rule going into this process was simple:
Nothing new unless it’s better than what we already serve.
Chaumont didn’t just meet the bar—they raised it.
We weren’t just solving a problem. We were elevating our entire pastry program.
BHB x Chaumont: A First for Orange County
We’re proud to be Chaumont’s first wholesale account in Orange County.
That partnership means a lot. It speaks to what we’re building at BHB, a place where high standards and inclusivity coexist. Where “vegan” and “gluten-free” don’t mean “second-best.”
So… What’s New in the Pastry Case?
Starting immediately, you'll notice a complete transformation in our pastry case:
Vegan Options:
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Croissants that actually flake and taste buttery
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Muffins, scones, and seasonal items that don't compromise on flavor
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Sweet and savory options that change throughout the week
Gluten-Free Selections:
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Pastries with proper texture and moisture
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Muffins that don't crumble
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Options that taste like treats, not health food
Everything Else:
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Upgraded versions of all your regular favorites
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Seasonal specialties that rotate based on ingredient availability
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The same artisanal quality you expect from BHB, now extended to every pastry
Why It Matters (And Why We’re So Excited)
We didn’t do this because it was easy.
We did it because we believe everyone should be able to enjoy a pastry with their coffee—without compromise.
If you’re vegan, gluten-free, or just someone who loves good food, we now have something for you. Something worth craving. Something worth coming in early for (they do go fast).
The great pastry hunt took time. And a lot of “almosts.”
But we found our match.
And now… you get to taste it.
Come Try for Yourself
You don’t have to take our word for it. Come try a vegan croissant that will make you rethink what’s possible. Or a gluten-free muffin that doesn’t feel like you’re settling.
More than anything, come experience what happens when a coffee shop refuses to compromise.
Our pastry case has been transformed—and we think you’re going to love it.
