AUSTIN, Texas – Easy Tiger® is proud to announce the nomination of Head Doughpuncher David Norman for a 2020 James Beard Award in the ‘Outstanding Baker’ category. The James Beard Foundation announced its list of Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists in advance of the 30th annual James Beard Awards. The Foundation will announce the finalists for all Award categories on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.
David Norman is the Head Doughpuncher at Easy Tiger Bake Shop and Beer Garden in Austin, Texas. Over his esteemed 30-year career, he has worked in some of the country’s best bakeries, from Seattle (Grand Central Bakery) to New York City (Bouley Bakery), and has taught professional bread courses at the French Culinary Institute and the San Francisco Baking Institute, in addition to classes for home bakers at Easy Tiger’s Bakery Classroom. Norman’s debut cookbook, Bread on the Table: Recipes for Making and Enjoying Europe’s Most Beloved Breads, was published by Ten Speed Press in October 2019. This is his first nomination for a James Beard Award.
“James Beard was my father’s culinary hero. Many meals for our friends and family were crafted from his recipes. When I returned from studying in Europe, missing the wonderful bread I had grown to love and eat daily, it was Beard on Bread to which I first turned to learn to bake my own loaves,” recalled Norman.
Easy Tiger’s bakery is a showcase of David Norman’s decades-long experience and mastery of his craft. The Easy Tiger portfolio features Norman’s recipes, influenced by his time spent in Europe and North America studying the art of breadmaking. Norman values Old World tradition and locally sourced ingredients to produce a variety of breads, pastries and seasonal offerings including King Cake and Holiday Stollen, to name a few. Easy Tiger’s commercial bakery, located at the Easy Tiger LINC Beer Garden in North Austin, employs more than 55 team members and serves more than 100 wholesale accounts across Central Texas, feeding 50,000+ people a day.
David Norman is one of two Texas-based chefs nominated in the ‘Outstanding Baker’ category. This category recognizes “a pastry chef or baker who demonstrates exceptional skill, integrity, and character in the preparation of desserts, pastries, or breads served in a retail bakery.” The prestigious group of semifinalists represents a wide variety of culinary talent across twelve regions, including the newly recognized ‘Texas’ group.
“I am so deeply honored to be nominated this year. Across this country, there are so many talented bakers. I feel privileged to be counted among them and grateful that the Beard Foundation recognizes our contributions to this country’s culinary landscape,” said Norman. “It has certainly been a thrill over the last eight years to be able to bring the breads and pastries gleaned from my years of travel and baking to Austin. Working with the many dedicated and talented people at Easy Tiger to bring this to life everyday is always a joy.”
More information about the awards can be found on the James Beard Foundation website: www.jamesbeard.org
Easy Tiger
Easy Tiger was founded in Austin, Texas in 2012. Today the company has three locations for its bake shop and beer garden concepts in Downtown Austin (709 E 6th Street, Austin, TX 78701, on Waller Creek), in North Austin (6406 N Interstate 35 Frontage Road, Austin, TX 78752, at at The LINC) and in Cedar Park (5001 183 Toll Road, Building A, Ste 100, Cedar Park, TX 78613, inside Whole Foods Market). Easy Tiger also operates a fresh daily wholesale bakery business, supplying bread to hundreds of partners including 24 Diner, Annie’s Cafe, Austin Country Club, Austin Convention Center, Epicerie, Foodheads, Fresh Plus, Olive and June, Cipollina, Contigo, Barlata Tapas Bar, Biderman’s Deli, Second Bar and Kitchen, North Italia, Parkside, Four Seasons Austin, Hotel Van Zandt, Whole Foods Market and many more. Easy Tiger employs 180 people in Austin and sources its premium artisan flours and ingredients from local and ethical suppliers. In November 2019, Austin Chronicle readers awarded Easy Tiger Best Bakery, Best Patio and Best Happy Hour in Austin. In January 2020, Easy Tiger was featured on PBS tasteMAKERS. For more information on the award-winning Easy Tiger experience, visit our website at www.easytigerusa.com or visit one of our locations today!
