Nora Allen
Mel The Bakery | New York
february 2023
Originally from Washington D.C. Nora Allen has been baking her entire life. While pursuing degrees in public health and English at Bates College, she worked at restaurant-adjacent farms in her spare time. Following her graduation in 2012, Allen embarked on a hiking trip of the Appalachian Trail. On her trek, she fell in love with Tennessee, eventually packing her bags and moving to Nashville. There, she worked at Porter Road Butcher, developing a deep understanding of sourcing practices and biodiversity in farms. She went on to help open Dozen Bakery under Pastry Chef Claire Meneely before moving to Colorado to take a position at Grateful Bread. Her passion for bread, pastry, and sustainable sourcing only continued to grow.
In 2016, Allen joined the Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs' Grain School, working to educate the public about protecting and fostering the longevity of local farms. Ready for a new adventure, she moved to New York City in 2017, and after a quick stage, joined the team at Bushwick pizza haven, Roberta’s. After two years there, she moved on to The Standard for a brief stint under Rising Stars alum Angela Dimayuga. Eager to dive further into sourcing and to bake bread her own way, Allen opened Mel The Bakery in 2020. At Mel, she uses almost exclusively New York products, making it a point to spread awareness about buying local and supporting regional farmers. Inspired by Scandinavian baking techniques, Allen focuses on naturally leavened sourdoughs that highlight less common grains, like her einkorn and poppy seed bread.
