We’re Tom and Megan — two Minnesota kids who grew up on opposite ends of the state. Tom’s from Knife River on the North Shore, where bread was basically its own food group. Megan’s from Roseville, where things were slightly more civilized. We both spent time working in restaurants, and Tom even thought he’d do it forever before life steered him toward grad school and, eventually, sales. Megan became a nurse and has been saving lives ever since.

We hopped around the Twin Cities — Uptown, then St. Louis Park, and now Golden Valley — a pretty standard migration for people who eventually get buried in snowblower responsibilities. Along the way, we collected three kids, one golden retriever, a minivan, and a spot on a cul-de-sac. Yes, we hit the suburban bingo card. No, it didn’t cancel out the part of us that still likes a little edge.

When we’re not baking, we’re outside: cross-country skiing, hiking, camping, fly fishing, snowboarding, skateboarding, running, mountain biking — basically anything that involves fresh air and occasionally falling down. We love big meals with family and friends, the kind where everyone crowds around the kitchen and no one leaves hungry.

Somewhere in the middle of all that, we found ourselves baking more and more — especially bread. Tom grew up in a carb-heavy household where he and his brothers would tear into whole loaves with their bare hands. Megan is still… adjusting to this tradition. That same rip-and-eat energy is what made us want to share what we make with a wider community.

Bench Knife Bakery is our way of offering slow, intentional baked goods to people who like real food made by real humans. Rip it, tear it, slice it, dip it. Whatever you do, enjoy it — and come back for more.