MasterChef competitor will open bakery business here

(Above) Bread and Buttercréme Patisserie-Eatery owner Cassie Peterson and head baker

McCayla Welp.-Reporter photo.

by Alli Weaver

Clear Lake’s very own MasterChef participant, Cassie Peterson, hopes to make gourmet dining and high-end baked goods accessible and unintimidating at her new Bread and Buttercréme Patisserie-Eatery.

The Clear Lake native will be opening the bakery-restaurant hybrid at 444 North Shore Drive, formerly known as Sips, near the Surf Ballroom.

According to Peterson, the community was very supportive of her after her time on MasterChef, and she seeks to repay them by “giving them what they want.”

“I want to bring something to Clear Lake that they don’t already have,” Peterson said.

Cassie and her partner, Davin McLeod, will be purchasing the building from Dick Hayes and making it their own, adding a cake lab and their own personal flare. They plan to complete these renovations in the fall.

“It will still be, kind of, the same awesome environment that you got from Sips, but we’re making it primarily daytime focused,” Peterson said.  They will still be open on Surf con-

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cert nights for appetizers and drinks, and will host speciality food nights twice a month.

Peterson will head up the restaurant side of the business, offering “gourmet foods without the intimidation factor.”  Bread and Buttercréme will offer a variety of on-trend menu items, that change from day to day.

“If you’re sitting here in this restaurant, no two experiences are ever going to be the same.  If one thing doesn’t appeal to a customer, another thing might,” Peterson said.

Bread and Buttercréme will aim for a “continuously changing food experience,” according to McCayla Welp, the head baker.

“We like challenging ourselves. We always want to be doing something fun and different, but still things that everyone’s comfortable with,” Peterson added.

A special diet menu will also be available, in order to accommodate those who require gluten free food, or other types of diets.

“My ultimate goal is customer focused. They need the best of the best, and that’s why I hire the best of the best,” Peterson said.

Welp, originally from Ventura, has a large following in the area already, according to Peterson.  She was recruited by Peterson from Hy-Vee in Minneapolis.  “I think people are just going to go crazy when they see what she can do,” Peterson said.

Welp will be offering custom cake orders, high-end bakery items, and even baking classes. She is also willing to answer baking questions.

The crew plans to do a soft opening sometime in mid-July. With plans to cater, start online and dockside delivery, take custom bakery orders, and more, they will have a lot on their plate.

“We didn’t want to restrict ourselves or our customers,” Peterson said.

Peterson will be taking each of these goals one step at a time, but would like to get people out on the patio for the summer. The goal is to have the place rolling by the time RAGBRAI comes through on July 25.

They can’t give an official start date yet, but they will accept pre-orders for July 4, and will be offering donuts and cinnamon rolls at Y Knot Watersports Rentals to start off.  Once Bread and Buttercréme is up and running, it will be open year-round with a goal of presenting a “day-at-the-lake feel every day, regardless of the season.”

With a little one running around, Peterson calls the new business their “home away from home,” and says that her daughter “loves being our little chef.”

Peterson, Welp, and McLeod invite others to join the family. With a variety of positions, from servers and cooks to bakers and caterers, they are looking for strong hires.

“We’re always looking for people. We want this to be a place where, if you’re excited about food, this is a good place for you,” Peterson said.  “Whether you already have experience, or you’re looking to learn, the Bread and Buttercréme team welcomes you.”

For inquiries, call 641-357-1250.

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