By Rachel Hergett EBS COLUMNIST
Winners of the James Beard Awards—the culinary equivalent to the Grammys or Oscars—were announced on Monday, June 15, and for the first time, a Montana establishment took one of the top honors. Bozeman’s Wild Crumb Bakery was named Outstanding Bakery in the 2026 awards, securing its place in the annals of Montana food history.
Tuesday, I decided to take in the aftermath. What would Wild Crumb be like the day after the announcement? Would the line that often snakes out the door be even longer than normal?
Maybe the line was prodigious in the morning, but when I arrived at Wild Crumb shortly after 1 p.m., I was admittedly a bit shocked. The line was short enough that it existed entirely inside the building.
Inside though, told the tale. The long, glass-fronted display area—normally stuffed with sandwiches and pastries—was half empty. There was not a croissant to be had. Plain, almond and the entirely crave-able variety where the flaky layers encase ham and Gruyère were sold out. Same for the sandwiches and baguettes that are their base (as well as in sandwiches for local eateries like Finks Delicatessen and Grotto Meats).
Wild Crumb, a bakery on the corner of North Wallace Avenue and Peach Street in Bozeman (600 N. Wallace Ave., to be exact), was founded 13 years ago by sisters Lauren Heemstra and Caroline Schweitzer. It now has a staff of 65.
“We could not have made it this far without our passionate and dedicated team—past and present,” general manager Kelsey Ludin said while accepting the award at the ceremony in Chicago on Monday. “…Together we have grown this business and created a special place in the heart of Bozeman.”
The annual awards given by the James Beard Foundation are one of the most prestigious honors for chefs in the U.S. The Outstanding Bakery award I recognizes “A baker of breads, pastries, or desserts that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations,” according to the foundation’s website.
Though many Montana chefs and restaurants have been nominated, Wild Crumb is the first to win a competitive award in the restaurant and chef category. Eduardo Garcia’s Magnolia Network show “Big Sky Kitchen with Eduardo Garcia” received a 2023 James Beard Media Award for Instructional Video Media. The recently closed Pekin Noodle Parlor and Matt’s Place Drive-In, both in Butte, have been recognized with the James Beard America’s Classics Award, which is given to family owned restaurants that have been open more than a decade (most much longer that that) and “serve as an enduring anchor for their communities,” according to the James Beard Foundation’s press release for 2026 winners. Michaelangelo’s owner and executive chef Michael Annandono was a semi-finalist for best chef in the mountain region in 2023.
In the acceptance speech, Ludin also praised the local farmers and producers who provide “high-quality ingredients supporting our craft” and read a statement from the owners.
“We learned early on that less is always more, that ingredients, technique and strong food systems are the backbone in excellence and the pursuit of knowledge requires us to always be learning and always listening,” it said.
The latest change, a longstanding request from the customers, is that Wild Crumb is now open on Mondays. The hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day. Even on what the staff said was one of the most wildly busy days they have experienced, and even with a stock more depleted than I’ve seen at even its busiest moments, Wild Crumb maintained an impressive selection of breads, cookies, cakes, pies and other treats on Tuesday afternoon.
The grab-and-go shelf was still stocked with the house-made honey maple granola, cookies, meringues and Rice Krispie treats. As I write, I’m daydreaming about the holiday season and the gooey fluffy peppermint marshmallows. These wrapped treats make ideal gifts, and I have given them as such countless times. It’s still a gift if you give it to yourself, right?
Wild Crumb has also long been my secret weapon when it comes to dinner parties. Sure, I’ll bring dessert. I will bake, on occasion, but often prefer to leave it to the professionals. Why mess with perfection? Enter the holiday gingerbread cake, open layers showcasing its impeccable construction, then topped with festive sugared rosemary and candied oranges. On Tuesday afternoon, one could still grab a rainbow-sprinkle covered cake if a celebration was in order. Or a s’mores cheesecake, mocha cake or chocolate cream pie.
Wild Crumb always feels like a treat to me. I have staple favorites that beg a return visit, but am also repeatedly drawn in by the rotating pastry, bread and croissant selection. Wild Crumb continually delivers the delicious. It seems that when it comes to life and pastry cases, half empty also means half full.
Rachel Hergett is a foodie and cook from Montana. She is arts editor emeritus at the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and has written for publications such as Food Network Magazine and Montana Quarterly. Rachel is also the host of the Magic Monday Show on KGLT-FM and teaches at Montana State University.
