Carissa Waechter graduated Dean’s List from the Art Institute of New York City and began her culinary career under world pastry champion Michel Willaume. Following a decade of pastry chef experience in top NYC restaurants, including esteemed 4-star chef Daniel Boulud, Carissa followed the food trail to Amagansett, NY where she developed close relationships with local farmers while operating the Amagansett Farmers Market with Eli Zabar.
She launched Carissa’s Breads in the spring of 2010 based upon locally grown and produced ingredients, and that same year she co-founded the Amagansett Food Institute, a nonprofit organization who’s mission is to support small-scale farmers and food producers on the east end of Long Island.
Carissa managed AFI’s South Fork Kitchens in Southampton, where she produced her breads and baked goods before partnering with Lori and Alexandre Chemla in 2016 to expand the business into retail and open their first flagship bakery in East Hampton while continuing to wholesale across Long Island and NYC.
After three busy years it was time to expand to a second retail location, and the business’ 221 Pantigo Road location opened in the Summer of 2019 as a 75 seat cafe, restaurant and bakery with a focus on locally-sourced produce from its long-standing partners on the East End.