Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew O’Brien.
Hi Andrew, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I had always wanted to be a cook ever since I was a little kid, I think there is an old videotape of me somewhere saying that in the 6th grade. I started working as a dishwasher at a sushi restaurant in El Paso when I was 18 and fell in love with the chaos. Since then, I have worked really hard at trying to “get good” and learn everything I can. Baking is fascinating to me, it’s a blend of art and science that has always intrigued me. Around 2012 is when I got my first professional baking job and then I was hooked. I did that for a while and practiced at home when I had the time. I moved around for a bit and then decided it was time to strike out and do my own thing. My brother and I started doing the Denton Community Market a few years ago just to initially get our name out there. We had no idea what we were doing or if anyone would like what we made but, thankfully, the community was very receptive and supportive. Now we have a lot of really great people and friends that are our customers and we are hoping to add to that group by offering more to the community by opening our own place.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been an easy path for us. But it has been exciting. A lot of the stuff we learned, we learned by doing the wrong thing or trying something risky and seeing what happens. There isn’t really a great set of guidelines out there for individuals who want to start their own business. Thankfully we happen to be friends with a lot of great people who are further along their journey and they have shared their shortcomings and what pitfalls to look out for. People have been very generous with us by offering their help and time. I think you can break our challenges down into two groups: Who to talk to and what to spend money on. Those two things seem to be at the root of whatever our roadblocks end up being. Whether it’s permits or materials or where to set up or whatever, it usually comes back to “what do we need to buy or pay for” and “who do we need to talk to.” It was and still is a lot of trial and error and failing a lot and sometimes walking away with nothing but new knowledge. Thankfully we have a lot of very patient and understanding customers who stick with us when we really beef it on something.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My brother Peter and I own a business called O’Brien Brothers Baking and we sell our food around the city of Denton and mostly at the Denton Community Market when it’s open. We make staple breads like sourdoughs, English muffins, and sandwich breads. The sourdough starter that we use in our breads was given to us by our dad and it’s roughly 25 years old now. I guess we were initially known for our sourdoughs and challahs but we are recently becoming more known for making pizzas outside under a tent or our breakfast sandwiches at the market. We are working on opening a pizza restaurant in Denton that I think will be new and exciting for the community. I feel proud of everything we sell. Our intention isn’t to put something out there that we only feel so-so about. We spend a lot of time workshopping recipes and ideas until it gets to that point. So, when we show up with a lot of food and we sell all of it (and we do that every weekend), then we know we have something to be proud of.
I think what sets us apart from others is that we are trying to open a restaurant from the very bottom with nothing rather than starting with a lot of money and just paying our way there. We have a unique opportunity to engage with our clients and get feedback on our recipes or dishes and make adjustments. On top of that, we get to form new bonds and relationships with our customers. We have made a lot of new friends over the last 3 years of doing this and that was been so valuable.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up the youngest of three boys in El Paso, Texas. I was a weirdo and a nerd when I was a kid and, in many regards, still am. I desperately wanted to be cool but realized it took a lot of effort to do that and I would much rather play video games and joke around with my friends. Looking back, I had a strange mixture of experiences that shaped my interests. Our dad would take us hiking and hunting a lot and we spent a lot of time outdoors although I always took it for granted. He was also a mechanic and small business owner so I spent a lot of time around cars (and probably where I got the drive to strike out on my own). My mom took us to museums and plays and wanted us to play an instrument (cello by the way). She is an artist and interior designer and she wanted us to have worldly experiences – most of which I wouldn’t understand until much later in life. I am an Eagle scout by the skin of my teeth and I am glad that I stuck with it. My brothers introduced me to sci-fi and comic books and dungeons and dragons. I was always kind of rebellious and didn’t like being told what to do but often did it anyway because I was too anxious to do anything about it. I have changed significantly since then but I feel like I held on to the important stuff or at least some of it.
Pricing:
- Private pizza events start at $400,
- Breakfast sandwiches cost $5 at the Denton Community Market.
- Breakfast sandwiches cost $6 at Golden Boy Coffee in Denton.
- Bread starting at $5.
Contact Info:
- Email: obrienbrosbaking@gmail.com
- Website: www.obrienbrosbaking.com
- Instagram: @obrienbrosbaking
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OBrien-Bros-Baking-100796231429723/
