Meet Your Local Baker: Gavin!

If you’ve ever grabbed a pastry from the Co-op bakery, chances are you’ve enjoyed something made by Gavin, one of our talented Pastry Bakers. Gavin has been part of the Co-op team for a year, working the evening shift where each day starts with gluten-free pastries before moving on to prep work for the morning crew.

A Family-Inspired Start

Gavin’s love for baking began at home, inspired by his parents’ passion for cooking.
“No matter what we had going on in our life, dinners and homemade meals were always important to our family,” he says.
That early appreciation for home-cooked food led him toward a career that connects creativity, community, and nourishment. Before joining the Co-op, Gavin worked at a local cocktail bar, but soon realized he wanted something with better hours and a stronger sense of community.

Life as a Pastry Baker

A typical day for Gavin starts with a quick check-in with the management team before diving into gluten-free pastries and prep work. The evenings are full of rhythm and focus — balancing the day’s production with preparation for tomorrow.

His favorite thing to bake? The Co-op’s beloved thumbprint cookies. “It’s a very simple but very tasty and rewarding dough,” Gavin says. “We can make a variety of flavors from our homemade jams.”
Beyond the craft itself, Gavin appreciates how deeply the Co-op connects with local producers and partners.

“I love seeing how many local products we use, not only in our grocery store but in the back of house, too,” he says. “From our flour and produce to our compost company — we’re truly a community-based organization.”

Beyond the Bakery

When he’s not baking, Gavin keeps busy with a mix of creative and outdoor pursuits. He enjoys Dungeons & Dragons for its storytelling and community-building, and loves both going to and performing in plays — most recently appearing in Romeo and Juliet with Fruit Bag Theater. He also enjoys hiking, mountain biking, or even scuba diving.

He’s also active in the Bozeman community through groups like the Montana State Birding Club, Bozeman Tenants United, and Queer Bozeman.
When it comes to food outside of work, Gavin says nothing beats his mom’s Southwestern tortilla soup — especially on a snowy Montana day.

Community Through Craft

For Gavin, baking at the Co-op is about more than the final product.

“I hope people take away an appreciation for not only the skill and time that went into prepping the baked goods we provide, but also for the local businesses and community that make it all possible.”