Press

A PIECE OF PARIS IN THE MIDWEST: NATHANIEL REID BAKERY

Along 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 More

Lee Lee’s Double Chocolate Chunk Brownies

Pastry 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 More

48 Hours in St. Louis: Where to Eat

If 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…

Read More

This 8-Layer Chocolate Cake Is The Ultimate Way To Say 'I Love You'

Tomorrow will only the third Valentine’s Day that Kirkwood, Missouri’s Nathaniel Reid Bakery has been open, but customers have already deemed the spot’s Enzo Cake the most important part of their holiday. After the first year chef Nathaniel Reid himself introduced the chocolate cake, customers warned him to never take it off the menu—and he’s upheld his end of the deal…

Read More

Meet the 2019 class of 40 Under 40 honorees

The St. Louis Business Journal is once again showcasing the best and the brightest young professionals in the region with its 2019 40 Under 40 section.

Read More

5 small-batch St. Louis chocolatiers we love

Nathaniel Reid’s confections look so elegant that you won’t want to eat them. But after the inevitable photo shoot, you shouldn’t think twice. Offerings like the Guyana dark chocolate mousse with chocolate croquant and the Sambava macaron with vanilla bean and dark chocolate ganache have deep, rich layers that reveal a little more complexity with each bite. Want to keep it basic? Well, that’s not really possible here, but the closest you can get is something like the Madagascar 64 percent dark chocolate bar with crispy pearls. It’s like eating a crisped rice bar (think Nestlé Crunch), but with decadent, buttery chocolate.

Read More

Celebrate National Croissant Day and help a worthy cause

Manchester Road, part of former Route 66, threads through Maplewood and Nathaniel Reid, chef and owner of the Nathaniel Reid Bakery came to the studio this morning to help us celebrate National Croissant Day. Visit the bakery today, and benefit Meals on Wheels of Greater St. Louis.

Read More

St. Louis food scene is full of surprises, from Paris-worthy pastries to daring microbrews

Manchester Road, part of former Route 66, threads through Maplewood and Kirkwood to the west, where acclaimed pastry chef Nathaniel Reid runs his 2-year-old eponymous bakery from a sunlit storefront. The Joel Robuchon alum and former Pastry Chef of the Year per the U.S. Pastry Competition chose Kirkwood for its sense of community, demonstrated by a stream of customers interrupting an interview to say hello.“We take the lowly and elevate it,” says Reid, who does everything from chocolate-dipped pound cake to delicate macaroons and flaky pastries. “If you can make a turkey sandwich stand out, you’re really doing something.”

Read More

We Learned To Make Glazed Cakes From Nathaniel Reid

Home bakers can create edible centerpieces for their holiday tables with a little help from premier pastry chef Nathaniel Reid…

Read More