LAKELAND, Fla. — A beloved Lakeland bakery is in the running for one of the nation’s most prestigious culinary awards.
It’s a familiar scene on a busy morning at Born & Bread Bakehouse. Dozens of customers fill the shop, waiting for their favorite pastries and fresh-baked bread.
For owner Jenn Smurr, the journey to this moment started years ago — sparked by a European honeymoon that ignited a passion for bread. That led to an apprenticeship, and eventually, the launch of Born & Bread in 2015 at the Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market, where she sold out in just 15 minutes on the first day.
“The very first time that we went to the farmer’s market it was really clear that I had gotten into something that was much bigger than myself and in some ways like it was just a phenomenon,” Smurr said.
WATCH: Lakeland’s Born & Bread earns James Beard Outstanding Bakery nod
Today, the bakery has a storefront at 1113 S. Florida Ave., serving pastries, brunch sandwiches, and fresh loaves.
“Every time that someone comes in, they should be able to order an almond croissant that they’ve grown to love from us. That’s already really unique and when they come in the next time, it should taste exactly the same. It is really the platform of I think what we do best, is we try for consistency,” Smurr said.
It has not gone unnoticed. Born & Bread Bakehouse is a 2026 Outstanding Bakery semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation award, often called the “Oscars of the food world.”
“Looking at this list and seeing a lot of large city names and then it’s Born & Bread Lakeland, Florida. And I would imagine that people around the states are like what is Lakeland, Florida,” Smurr said. “It has been kind of Born & Bread’s history of saying, like we’re doing something really great that seems like it should be in New York or Miami or in Nashville or Austin and it’s in Lakeland.”
The bakery will celebrate 11 years in March, and Smurr says the recognition is something she wants to savor and share.
“It’s a nod by peers and by community that says we see what you’re doing. It’s an encouragement to keep doing what we’re doing and wanting to improve be better,” said Smurr.
The awards will be presented in Chicago over three days with the Restaurant and Chef Awards handed out on June 15.
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