Our Founders
Meet our Head of Bread, Eli Je-Bailey!
When Eli’s face was not buried in the books of his favorite chefs and bakers, he was spending time finding his place in the culinary world. After moving to Montreal in 2008, it didn’t take long for him to be pulled into the food industry, working under chef Sean Murray Smith at the newly renamed Ile Flottante. After years of working at Ile Flottante as Garde Manger and Sous Chef, learning the techniques of upscale French fare, Eli relocated to Miami, FL. There, he continued working under chefs Brad Kilgore of Alter and Alex Meyer and Luci Giangrandi of Boia De, before following his true dream… Bread.
Soon after, he accepted a role as part of the opening team for Sullivan Street Bakery Miami, working under Founder, Jim Lahey, and 3rd generation French Master bread baker, Mattieu Bettant of Bettant Bakery. In 2018, Eli made the jump to find a place more suitable to his lifestyle, relocating to Asheville, NC, where Eli continued exploring the art of naturally leavened breads with freshly milled grains at OWL Bakery. Today, Eli and Sydney have been lucky enough to take over the Farm and Sparrow home bakery, previously owned by Baker and Miller, David Bauer.
Hominy Farm was born here, in the heart of Hominy Valley. By finding the inspiration is the bread of his ancestors in Lebanon, Eli hopes to offer old world, wood fired breads which serve as vessels for inspiration in themselves.
Meet our Head of Hominy, Sydney Rubin!
The story of Eli would be incomplete without talking about his partner, Sydney Rubin. Since meeting at art school at the age of 15, Eli and Sydney have been inseparable. As a full time art educator for more then a decade, Sydney has dedicated her life to integrating creative studies and Montessori education into early childhood. When Sydney is not running her own classroom and after school programs, she is running the back end of Hominy Farm.
A professional at wearing many hats, Sydney has very much earned the title of Head of Hominy, handling everything from sales, to accounting, to marketing, and everything in between. Anyone contacting Hominy Farm, will more often then not have the pleasure of speaking with her.
