Angela Garbacz officially has us drooling at our desks! Creator of the mouth watering treats at Goldenrod Pastries, Angela has struck a chord with the people of Lincoln, Nebraska. Her bakery, founded in 2015, receives over 1,500 visitors a day to pick up one of their homemade goodies.
Angela cut her teeth at a young age, working in professional kitchens as young as 15. After a quick stint in international marketing in the bio tech industry, she found herself wanting for a more creative outlet. Motivated by her own allergies, Angela started a blog for dairy free, gluten free and vegan items. As her fandom grew, she was inundated with requests and Goldenrod was born. With an amazing team of women 💪, Angela has built up a following that has customers lined up around the block to taste her Morning Bun with Orange Zest among others.
The women of Goldenrod are focused on creating baked goods they crave themselves. Their creations all come from questions like “what do I want to eat?,” “What do I want to make and share with my friends?.” They have core, classic recipes that customers come back for time and time again as well as rotating new creations as the seasons change. Next up on this powerhouse's to do list? Online order fulfillment and her own cook book 🤤. In the meantime, the entire N&C team is already booking our plane tickets to Nebraska and we suggest you do the same!! 
Spill It! What age were you when you decided you wanted to open up your own bakery?
My parents remember me talking about owning a bakery from the time I was six years old, but I really took the plunge when I was 27. Goldenrod Pastries started as a blog to chronicle my adventures with dairy-free baking - and quickly took off! I was baking for orders before and after my day job, every weekend, etc.
Spill It! Tell us a little about yourself
I own Goldenrod Pastries, a bakery in Lincoln, Nebraska. I've been working in professional kitchens for almost 20 years, and always knew I'd want to own a place of my own someday. Goldenrod focuses on inclusive treats, as we make primarily gluten- and dairy-free pastries. I am passionate about changing the culture of the food industry to be a more compassionate one, and empowering women to feel strong and powerful within themselves. Spill It! Do you have a favorite pastry that you bake? I really love to bake morning buns. I love how many senses are involved with rising dough, punching it down, rolling it out, and baking. It's such a tactile experience. I baked a lot of rolls and buns with my Polish grandmother growing up, so I think that is another reason why I love it so much.
Spill It! What do you think was the most challenging part of starting your own business?
The most challenging part of starting my own business was definitely learning how to be a manager and how to grow a team. There is no rulebook for how to hire, who to hire, how much to pay them, or how to lead them. I knew I wanted to create my own leadership style for a team that would work closely together, but it really took a good couple of years to figure out how to do that. There were a lot of bumps along the way.
Spill It! What do find the most rewarding part of owning your own bakery? Other than eating warm cake and cookies whenever I want, the most rewarding part of owning Goldenrod is seeing the community we've built and continue to build. Creating community around food isn't a new concept, but seeing it unfold before my eyes has been truly special.
Spill It! Can we take a look inside your bag?
Being a bakery owner means a lot of running to the store, lifting bags of flour, shlepping tons of stuff everywhere, so I keep my bag essentials pretty minimal. I love a clutch I can just throw under my arm or a larger wallet. My absolute basics are my favorite lipstick, an auxiliary phone charger, and a hair clip. An extended list for travel days will include the basics, plus some concealer, cream blush, and a little CBD.
