Sheepherder bread, cinnamon pull-apart brioches, butter-spritz cookies, squaw bread, chili cheese loaves. If you’ve ever visited Mammoth or Bishop, it’s likely you’ve tasted — and later craved — one or more of these delicious baked goods. Now, with the arrival of David Schat’s Bakery Café in El Segundo, your trip to get them just got much shorter.
Photos by Jenny Gardner
“Can’t wait!”
The new Schat’s was highly anticipated by many fans of the Eastern Sierra shops. On the bakery’s Facebook page, many people recommended it to their friends, often posting variations of “I can’t wait for it to open!” and expressing their love for a particular baked good.
The expectation surrounding the bakery even drew comments from those outside the immediate vicinity. One person wrote, “So excited that Schat’s Bakery is coming to SoCal!! Now we can get that amazing bread with only a 40 minute drive instead of 4 hours!!” Another person posted, “Will drive up from San Diego to enjoy!”
Schat’s held its grand opening in late January, after a brief soft opening that gave them the opportunity to work out any kinks in service or products, according to David Schat, owner and namesake of the shop.
So far, the bakery-cafe has proved to be quite a draw. “We have people coming from Pasadena, Torrance, Whittier — all over Southern California,” he said.
In case you’re not familiar with Los Angeles geography, El Segundo is the small beach town immediately south of LAX. It’s about a 40-minute drive from Malibu, but only 20 minutes from Santa Monica, where many Pepperdine students live. Those who have eaten Schat’s products would likely agree it’s worth the drive.
A Baking Dynasty
David Schat learned his trade by working with his grandfather, a Dutch immigrant who opened the family’s first bakery in Bishop, California, as well as his father and uncles, according to the bakery’s website and Facebook page. He later became certified as a master baker and has spent most of his life employed in the baking industry.
Schat is one of several family members to open a bakery. Beyond those in Bishop and Mammoth, there are Schat’s outlets in Nevada, Utah, and even Ontario, Canada. Each bakery is individually owned by a member of the extended Schat family; they are not part of a franchise. “We all try to tailor our products and our business to the local consumer trends and culture,” Schat said.
In addition to baked goods, David Schat’s Bakery Café also offers many tasty sandwiches, salads and soups. One of the standout items is the side order of sweet potato fries, which are sprinkled with a special five-spice blend. (Writer’s note: In my personal estimation as a connoisseur of sweet potato fries, they’re the best I’ve ever had.)
Delicious and Close By
For many Southern Californians, ski and snowboard season just isn’t complete without a stop at Erick Schat’s Bakkery in Bishop or the Schat’s Bakkery in Mammoth Lakes. Unfortunately, with this season’s ridiculously low snowfall, there’s not a lot of reason to head up Highway 395 to hit the slopes. But, hey, now you can comfort yourself by getting your fill of your favorite Dutch baked goods — without even leaving L.A.
David Schat’s Bakery Café
131A W. Grand Ave.
El Segundo, CA 90245
(310) 524-9895
schatselsegundo.com
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