Tzurit Or is an Israeli-born pastry chef. She is the founder of the Tatte Bakery & Café located in the Greater Boston area and Washington, D.C. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Early life and film career

Or grew up in Kvutzat Kinneret, a kibbutz in northern Israel located near the sea of Galilee. ^[6] She grew up in a "baking family" and since she was very young, she has been baking. ^[7]

From age 18 to 20, Or served her mandatory conscription in the Israeli Defense Forces. ^[8] After serving in the army, Or studied film, management, and communications at Tel Aviv University. ^[9] She went to work for an Israeli media company and worked as a film producer for 12 years. ^[8]

In 2003, Or emigrated to the United States and briefly lived in Los Angeles, California.^{[ citation needed]} Her then-husband got a job in Boston, so she moved across the country with him. ^[10] She now lives in Brookline, Massachusetts. ^[11]

Tatte Bakery & Café

In 2007, Or began baking and cooking at her house for about 20 hours a day to sell her creations at a stand in Copley Square Farmer's Market in Boston. ^{[9] [12]} At her stand, she mainly sold brioche, cookies, and nut boxes, which were inspired by foods from her childhood in Israel. ^{[5] [13]}

The stand was widely popular, and in 2008, she opened the first Tatte Bakery & Café brick and mortar location in Brookline. ^[8] Tatte, pronounced like "latte," sells a wider variety of items than she sold at the stand. ^[5]

In 2016, founder of Panera Bread and Au Bon Pain, Ron Shaich, bought a 50.01% stake in Tatte. ^[14] As of 2022 ^[update], there are 31 Tatte locations in both Massachusetts and in Washington, D.C. ^[15]

In July 2020, she stepped down as CEO following discrimination complaints, ^{[16] [17]} but she still remains involved in the bakery's operations and serves as its chief baker. ^[5]

References