Issa Niemeijer-Brown, a cum laude graduate in Sociology and member of the Bread Bakers Guild, is the founder of the internationally acclaimed Gebroeders Niemeijer bakery in Amsterdam. He's got an award-winning cookbook, "A Book About Bread: A Baker's Manual," under his belt. 

The Guild spoke with Issa about the story behind his bakery, his passion for artisan bread, and the philosophy that has kept his business thriving.  

Can you tell me about your journey into baking? How did it all start, and how did you end up where you are today?  

I started baking as a child. When I was 8 years old, I was already making my own cookies and chocolates. My parents let me experiment in the kitchen – I was allowed to bake without recipes and just use imagination. Many times, it didn’t work out all that well, but with hindsight, the space they gave me helped me to find joy in baking and feel freedom rather than constraint.   

Even though I didn’t initially plan to become a baker—I studied sociology and philosophy, imagining a more abstract career—I gradually found myself drawn to hands-on, practical work. After graduating and working in development cooperation I picked up artisan baking. I found that I mostly enjoyed the manual work: feeling the dough, shaping it, taking it out of the oven. I discovered that I had little interest in operating machines. That was one of the reasons why after three years of practice I decided to open my own bakery - working by hand was not all that common at the time.   

What is your bakery called, and how did it come about?    

The bakery is called Gebroeders Niemeijer, which means Niemeijer Brothers. My brother, who had a background in art and cooking, suggested that we start a bakery together after he saw the bread I was baking. I thought I might only do it for a while. At first it was more like a hobby to me than a career, but I quickly realized how much I enjoyed it, and here we are 16 years later.    

That’s amazing. Most bakeries don’t last that long. What’s your secret?    

I believe the key is that we’ve never focused on growth for growth’s sake. Our priority has always been to keep doing what we are doing, not make compromises, and gradually deepen our understanding of baking. We haven’t tried to expand into a chain or open multiple locations. Instead, we focus on doing what we love and doing it well, rather than pursuing economic gain alone.    

How did your book, A Book About Bread, come to life?    

Writing has always been a passion of mine, much like baking. When I started to get more serious, there was a gap in the literature. Many books provided a section on theory, and then entirely separate from that a number of recipes, not inviting any creativity. I wanted to create something that bridged that gap, helping both home bakers and professionals understand the process deeply. Enabling baking in a creative way, seeking out flavors, and to develop a baker’s intuition, with the recipes just being guidelines or examples. It took time to find a publisher, but once the book was published, it resonated with readers and even became a bestseller in the Netherlands. The Dutch version is now in its seventh printing.  

How did you get involved with the Bread Bakers Guild?    

I learned about the Guild through a mutual acquaintance, Karen [Bornarth, our executive director]. With "A Book About Bread," out in English, I was invited as a speaker at the Bakery Showcase in Toronto. Although I initially saw the Guild as a North American organization, I was encouraged to join and was pleasantly surprised to find a community of like-minded bakers who share my passion for artisan baking. In the Netherlands, most organizations focus on industrial baking, so the Guild has been a great way to connect with others who are dedicated to the craft.    

What are you focused on now?   

Right now, I’m continuing my work at the bakery and advocating for sustainable, accessible baking practices. I’m passionate about using locally grown, organic ingredients and maintaining manual labor in baking, like shaping and weighing by hand. I want to show that artisan bread can be made with love and care, can have an exceptional flavor, without being expensive or exclusive.    

Learn more about Issa's bakery here, and find "A Book About Bread," here.