Today we’d like to introduce you to Chase Campbell.
Hi Chase , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In my early twenties, I became deeply interested in nutrition and what it truly means to live a healthy life. I grew up eating a standard American diet, but as I began researching food and wellness, I quickly realized there were many different perspectives on what “healthy” actually meant. I became more active, experimented with elimination diets, and read widely.
One book that had a lasting impact on me was Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. Its central idea is that whole foods can be incredibly nourishing when they’re prepared traditionally and thoughtfully. As someone who has always loved bread, I became fascinated by why so many people struggle to digest grains. That curiosity eventually led me to sourdough.
I later worked as an artisan baker at Harmons while continuing to study baking, nutrition, and grain science on my own. Over time, I became increasingly passionate about creating bread and pastries that were more than just indulgences. I wanted to make food that was deeply nourishing while also supporting local farmers and regenerative agriculture. My goal became creating bread that cared for people, the land, and the local economy all at once.
I started baking from my home and selling at the local farmers market. Those early mornings and conversations with customers introduced me to an incredible community of farmers and supporters who believed in what I was building. Their encouragement and partnership made it possible for me to eventually open my own bakery.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely wasn’t smooth sailing.
For a time, I was living in my in-laws’ basement while trying to make my bakery dream work. As demand grew, the oven in the kitchen couldn’t keep up, so I decided to build a wood-fired clay oven in the backyard. Friends and volunteers came out to help, and together we spent countless hours mixing clay, laying bricks, and bringing this crazy idea to life.
Then one stormy day, it collapsed.
If I’m honest, I think I broke a little with it. I had poured so much time, energy, and hope into that oven that watching it crumble felt like watching the dream crumble too. I stopped baking for six months because I simply couldn’t bring myself to start again.
Eventually, though, I realized the oven wasn’t the dream. It was just one way of pursuing it.
Little by little, I found my way back to baking. In many ways, I had to rebuild myself before I could rebuild the bakery. Looking back, that season taught me resilience. The setbacks became part of the foundation that eventually led me here.
As you know, we’re big fans of Wild Shaped Bakery. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
What sets us apart is that we’re involved in every step of the process. We mill out grain fresh in-house, and naturally leaven everything with sourdough. That level of care allows us to create bread and pastries that are deeply flavorful, nutrient-dense, and made from ingredients we know and trust.
Whole-grain baking is an art. Freshly milled flour behaves very differently than commercial white flour, and creating light, tender pastries with it takes years of practice. It’s one of the reasons you won’t find many bakeries making whole-grain sourdough pastries, and we’re proud to be doing something truly unique.
We’re also committed to making good food more accessible and building community around it. One of our favorite ways to do that is with our bread bike, an electric cargo bike that lets us bring the bakery out into Ogden for pop-ups throughout the week. We love meeting people where they are and proving that great bread doesn’t have to stay behind a storefront.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
No one builds a business alone, and I certainly didn’t.
The first person who deserves credit is my wife, Celeste. She has been my biggest supporter from the very beginning. She’s been the person I celebrated with when things went well and the shoulder I cried on when they didn’t, especially after long nights when the croissants wouldn’t proof and I couldn’t figure out why. She worked full-time to support us while I was getting the bakery off the ground, and today she continues to be an essential part of the business behind the scenes. Wild Shaped simply wouldn’t exist without her.
I’d also like to thank Dan and Addison Daily. Their encouragement and generosity opened doors that eventually made it possible for us to have our own storefront. Their belief in what we were building came at exactly the right time.
River Road Harmons in St. George also played a huge role in my journey. That’s where I got my start as an artisan baker and where I learned many of the foundational skills that I still rely on today.
The Wildcat Micro Fund through Weber State University gave me the financial support I needed during those early stages when every dollar mattered.
Finally, I’d like to recognize my business mentor, Dominic Dewitte. His guidance, wisdom, and willingness to invest in me have been invaluable. Every entrepreneur needs someone who’s a few steps ahead, and Dominic has been that person for me.
Pricing:
- Sourdough Loaf – $9
- Sourdough Croissant – $6
- Sourdough Cinnamon Roll – $6
- Sourdough Danish – $8
- Chocolate Chip Cookie – $5
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Wildshapedbakery.com
- Instagram: @wild_shaped_bakery
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Campbellot2022?
