Belgian Chef to Make Cinnamon ‘Cruns’ at New Hudson Valley Bakery

There's a new culinary destination opening in the Hudson Valley that wants everyone to come and sample their French and Belgian-inspired baked goods.

Chef Christophe Raza's love of baked goods was born in his hometown of Brugge, Belgium. After learning his craft from Michelin Chef Roger Souvereyns, Raza left for the United States where he became a businessman in New York City and kept getting further and further away from the kitchen.

During the pandemic, Raza reconnected with his passion for baking and left behind his career to train at the famed Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris, France. Armed with new recipes and techniques, the chef has returned to America and is poised to start his own bakery empire with two locations in the Hudson Valley.

Two New European Bakeries to Open in the Hudson Valley

On Saturday, April 27 Raza will open Tarts and Bread in Amenia, with another location to follow this summer in Rhinebeck. The bakery will offer high-quality breads and pastries that are reasonably priced, just like the ones he enjoyed in Belgium.

In Europe, a visit to thebakery is a regular part of life, and we are basing our pricing structure on that. A baguette shouldn't cost $6. Ours costs $2.90.

Raza is also dedicated to making sure everyone who visits Tarts and Bread has access to his products, baking a majority of the menu with lactose and GMO-free ingredients while never compromising on taste. Many of the breads at the bakery are made with a sourdough starter which Raza says is easier to digest and higher in nutrition.

Menu Items Available at Tarts and Bread

The bakery will offer artisanal breads, rolls, buns eclairs and pastries as well as both savory and sweet tarts. Raza is also preparing a menu of savory quiches sandwiches topped with his own spreads.

During the grand opening, guests will have an opportunity to try free samples of Tarts and Bread's two signature items. The Cinnamon "Crun", which is a cross between a cinnamon bun and a croissant and the Apricot Almond "8", a figure-eight shaped French tart filled with apricot and almond.

The grand opening of the Amenia bakery will begin on Saturday, April 27 at 9:30pm at 3304 Main Street (Route 343) in Amenia. A second location will open this summer in Astor Square on Route 9 in Rhinebeck, just north of the fairgrounds.