Fifteen years later, La Farm still a Cary staple

"The focus is on bread, but my goal is to teach," Vatinet said.

As a member of the highly selective French artisans guild "Les Compagnons du Devoir," Vatinet pledged to share his craft to both professional and home bakers. La Farm hosts visiting guild trainees who learn traditional techniques and the fundamentals of French bread making, as well as members of the community in various classes.

Making bread for the locals also means using local products. Vatinet uses local products whenever possible for the 10 standard breads and 20 seasonal treats the bakery creates. The flour is ground and milled in North Carolina, and they also use local cheeses, ham, honey and Counter Culture Coffee at the cafe. 

The bread is even fresher now, thanks to a new oven in the kitchen. It was installed about a week ago, and while the La Farm team is still working out the kinks, Vatinet thinks it will be a valuable asset for the bakery.

"It was like upgrading from a Citroen to a BMW or a Mercedes," he joked. "We love sticking with tradition, but we have to think, what else can we use to keep the quality consistent and serve more bread?"

The new oven bakes faster, so the bakers can delay the bread's starting time, leading to an even fresher product.

We recommend heading to La Farm for brunch – try the Croque Madame or the Quiche du Jour – and to sample the dozens of breads and pastries while shopping. You can pick up great gifts or pre-packaged La Farm Products like hearth-baked granola, as well as Vatinet's book.