The pastries here are so incredibly good that it’s tough to just pick one, but the Chocolate Almond Croissant is a surefire winner. Quality ingredients and truly excellent baking make Nathaniel Reid’s as good as any patisserie you would find in France.
Read MoreSt. Louis pastry chef Nathaniel Reid gives pound cake a chic, patisserie-style makeover. Your trusty loaf pan never had it so good.
How does a Missouri-born, French-trained pastry chef elevate pound cake? Nathaniel Reid’s recipes all share three critical steps: Brushing the loaves with a syrup ensures moisture. Coating them in icing, chocolate, nuts or coconut adds flavor and texture. And garnishing (with restraint) lends the loaves a Parisian elegance worthy of the glass cases at Nathaniel Reid Bakery—or of your own Easter buffet…
Read MoreChef Nathanial Reid’s journey to creating mouthwatering and eye-catching confections has taken him across the globe. Before attending Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and working for several Michelin-rated restaurants as a pastry chef, Reid hailed from Farmington and attended the University of Missouri. A desire to be closer to family ultimately brought Reid and his wife to St. Louis, after which Nathaniel Reid Bakery soon opened in Kirkwood.
Reid’s inventive, whimsical and tasty treats made him a previous Platinum List winner. His Kirkwood bakery offers a selection of sweet and savory specialties, from pastries and pound cakes to macarons and meringues. If patrons aren’t distracted by the gorgeous offerings in the long display case, they can choose from a diversified menu of delicious quiches, sandwiches (an LN fave is the chicken salad on croissant) and salads.
Read MoreSt. Louis is clearly on the rise in the American food world. Yet another sign is in the March issue of Food & Wine, the makers’ issue. Pastry chef Lee Lee Reid’s brownies star in this month’s “Most Wanted” section. Yes, that name may sound familiar. Lee Lee is married to Nathaniel Reid, our James Beard Award-nominated baker and owner of Nathaniel Reid Bakery…
Read MoreReese’s Peanut Butter Cups
“It’s a guilty pleasure, but I cannot walk past one at the store without picking it up. It’s just one of those things you can’t help but love, even though it’s bad for you. There’s something so nostalgic about picking up your favorite childhood candy from the store –– and being able to share those experiences with my daughter brings me all the joy in the world.” – Nathaniel Reid, chef and owner of Nathaniel Reid Bakery
Read MoreYou might hesitate on Nathaniel Reid Bakery’s breakfast sandwich – the menu is short on description and it’s pre-made, wrapped in paper and heated on request, fast-food style. Any misgivings will disappear once this beauty is unwrapped, revealing scrambled eggs, ham, bacon and cheese gloriously layered inside one of the bakery’s flaky, superbly laminated croissants.
Read MoreAlong Manchester Road in Saint Louis, sweetly nestled among the hustle and bustle of Kirkwood is Nathaniel Reid Bakery, a French patisserie with a Midwestern soul. Immediately upon entering, the senses tingle from the fragrant and savory bakery treats, and the spirit is warmed by the welcoming smiles of the employees. In the kitchen, Parisian-trained chef Nathaniel Reid adds the finishing touches to a Helene pastry, which according to their menu consists of “almond crumble, poached pears, caramel cream and chai tea chantilly…”
Read MorePastry chef Lee Lee Reid is a self-proclaimed brownie aficionado. “I’m always looking for that perfect chew,” she says. Needless to say, the chocolate chunk brownie recipe she developed, which customers can find at her husband’s bakeshop, Nathaniel Reid Bakery in St. Louis, is the ideal balance of cakey and fudgy—falling in line with Nathaniel’s own baking philosophy. “I like to be innovative,” he says, “but I also like doing things that people understand and making it the best they’ve ever had.” While many recipes call for creaming the butter and sugar before adding the eggs, Lee Lee Reid whips eggs and sugar together to aerate them, leading to the ultimate brownie consistency. A brownie will only be as good as the cocoa and chocolate used, so be sure to source the best, like Valrhona. For the cleanest cut, wipe off crumbs and spray your knife with cooking spray in between slices…
Read MoreIf coffee and/or pastries is more in line with what you’re looking for, a visit to Sump, Kaldi’s, Blueprint, Comet, or even Nathaniel Reid Bakery will all do the trick—and we happily support any and all of those…
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