Casey Wentworth
Tartine Manufactory | San Francisco
november 2022
Casey Wentworth is at the forefront of a new era of San Francisco’s bread scene. A New Hampshire native, Wentworth moved to southern California to study creative writing. After graduating college in 2011, he worked in a number of kitchens until he had his first encounter with dough—making pizzas at a country club in Monterey, CA. In 2019, his growing interest in baking led him to stage at the then newly opened Ad Astra Bread Co. Drawn in by the bakery’s sourdough-focused program, Wentworth decided to go all in and stay on permanently, working under pastry chef (and Rising Star alum) Ron Mendoza. He left the posh country club behind and, under the tutelage of Mendoza, improved not only his baking but his leadership skills.
Eager to expand his creative horizons, Wentworth relocated to San Francisco in 2021 to work at nationally-acclaimed Tartine. “It’s an intimidating task to bake in San Francisco,” he admits, but his time at Tartine gave him the skills and knowledge to design his own baking program. In 2022, Wentworth teamed up with Chef Matt Kirk to help open his new concept, Automat. There, he prioritized classic French baguettes and a playful take on white bread, called Wondermat, that he created for Automat’s pork sausage, steamed egg, and herbed pimento cheese breakfast sandwich. Now back at Tartine as head baker, Wentworth is pushing his career forward at the helm of one of the leading institutions of American baking.
2022 StarChefs San Francisco-Oakland Rising Stars Award Winner
