Boudin: Celebrates 175 Years of Tradition and Innovation

San Francisco / CA. (bou) Boudin Bakery, a beloved San Francisco institution and the home of «The Original San Francisco Sourdough», is proud to announce the celebration of its 175th anniversary. Born in the Gold Rush in 1849, Boudin is the oldest continuously operating business in San Francisco. Boudin’s history is synonymous with San Francisco’s history – surviving major fires and earthquakes, recessions, and the pandemic. Throughout its 175 years, Boudin has continued the same baking methods and traditions while remaining resilient and constantly innovating their menu offerings at Boudin restaurants. This remarkable anniversary marks nearly two centuries of rich history, culinary innovation, and dedication to the craft of baking its iconic sourdough bread.

A Trace of San Francisco’s Gold Rush In Every Bite

Boudin Bakery was founded in San Francisco in 1849 by Isidore Boudin, who hailed from a family of master bakers in Burgundy, France. Isidore «struck gold» with four simple ingredients to create Boudin’s now iconic sourdough bread: flour, water, salt, and the «mother dough» (wild yeast starter). The secret to Boudin’s unique tangy flavor and chewy texture is in its mother dough – a combination formed by local varieties of wild yeast and lactobacillus – plus a few other helpful microbes and San Francisco’s foggy weather – to create a natural source of fermentation that allows Boudin’s sourdough bread to rise without using commercial yeast. A piece of the original «mother dough» continues to be used in every loaf of sourdough bread baked by Boudin since the Gold Rush era. It is a bread like no other that can’t be replicated anywhere in the world, except in San Francisco.

(Photo: Boudin Bakery)

A History of Tradition and Innovation

There have been only three «Master Bakers» in Boudin’s history – Isidore Boudin, Stefano Giraudo, Sr. (affectionately known as «Papa Steve»), and Fernando Padilla, who started working at Boudin at age 17 and has been Boudin’s Master Baker since 1997. It was the Boudin family that recognized Giraudo’s extraordinary baking talent and in 1941, amid financial strife, Giraudo fearlessly acquired the business from the Boudin family. Giraudo’s commitment to the Boudin mother dough propelled the bakery to international acclaim, and his dedication to quality and community shaped Boudin’s essence. Today, Papa Steve’s legacy lives on as the cornerstone of Boudin Bakery’s identity, which is now owned and operated by his grandson, Dan Giraudo.

«Boudin’s commitment to quality and tradition has remained steadfast, and we are proud to have cemented our place in culinary history here in San Francisco while embracing the future by offering innovation menu items that appeal to our consumer’s modern tastes at our Boudin restaurants throughout California,» says Dan Giraudo, Boudin’s Chief Executive Officer. «From classic sourdough loaves to artisanal sandwiches, fresh salads, and gourmet soups, our innovative offerings reflect a blend of tradition and modernity. Seasonal and locally sourced ingredients feature prominently, ensuring that every bite is as fresh and flavorful as possible.»

About Boudin Bakery

Founded in 1849, Boudin Bakery is San Francisco’s oldest continuously operating company and the creator of «The Original San Francisco Sourdough». With multiple locations across California, Boudin is dedicated to bringing the finest in traditional and contemporary baking to its customers. From its iconic sourdough bread to its innovative menu items, Boudin remains committed to quality, tradition, and culinary excellence. Boudin has restaurants throughout Northern and Southern California, and also offers online ordering for pick up, delivery and catering, as well as gifts and baskets which can be found online.