The Bakery on Glenayr is one of those monikers that is either a one-off or transplantable to every street in every suburb. As Michael Klausen opened the doors on his new Bondi bakery last week, the questions about expansion had already started.

He laughs at the notion. He’s done big and now wants small.

Klausen was co-owner of the giant Brasserie Bread, which was gobbled up in 2018 (along with Melbourne’s Noisette Bakery) by private equity firm Next Capital.

“Because of Brasserie Bread, people think that’s what I want to do again,” he says. “I just want to do a great local bakery … plus, I’m too old to do more.”

At The Bakery on Glenayr, he’s using ingredients he loves rather than concerning himself with scale. Things like the Hellfire Flour out of Moree, which he uses in the sourdough. “With the weather patterns last year, there was lots of water, high yield but not as much flavour. But the Hellfire has so much flavour.”

Klausen and co-owner Elise Cook trialled a small range of baked goods, including a seeded baguette the first week, but will expand it to include a cardamom pastry and something close to Klausen’s heart and heritage, Danish rye.

Despite a consumer shift to healthy foods and diets, Klausen maintains consumers still want to reward themselves. “We had some people in who had just done a run and were sitting down eating croissants.”

Open Tue-Fri 6.30am-2pm; Sat-Sun 7am-2pm.

100 Glenayr Avenue, Bondi