A simple Google search on breadmaking will yield three basic ingredients: water, flour and salt. But, without air — bread will never rise.
That’s how the artisanal sourdough bakery Out of Thin Air got its name in early 2022.
Founder Alessandro Jang said his wife let him transform their kitchen into an industrial bread commissary with their life savings.
“One loaf turned into two… three, four — and then I outgrew that little oven,” said 32-year-old Jang, who only advertises by word of mouth. “People just kept buying it.”
His unique Korean-Argentinian fusion flavors caught on; the sesame gochujang loaf almost always sells out first at farmers markets. The hearty, sesame-topped sourdough is enriched with garlic confit, green onion and gochujang, a fermented Korean chili paste that adds a pleasant, subtle kick of spice.
A typical workday starts at 3 a.m.
Loaves are kneaded, shaped and baked before 8 a.m. to ensure only the freshest product is sent out to restaurants, hotels and farmers markets across Los Angeles.
Besides the sesame gochujang, Out of Thin Air boasts three other sourdough flavors:
black sesame, rosemary polenta porridge and a classic country loaf. Not to mention, an olive oil-laden Fougasse, crisp Ciabatta and Baguette, which is Jang’s current favorite.
But, bread is simply an apparatus for Jang.
Jang said his company’s true mission is to raise awareness and address the challenges of substance abuse, addiction, and recovery in Los Angeles.
As a recovering addict himself, Jang found purpose in baking sourdough loaves for his friends and family during the pandemic. Recovery — like baking — takes time, patience, and community to lean on for support.
At Out of Thin Air, Jang only hires people recovering from alcohol addictions, who can learn to better take care of themselves.
“That kind of discipline takes more than just one job,” said Jang. “It takes a community of people looking out for you.”
After apprenticing with several bakeries across Los Angeles — like Clark Street, where he worked up from being a cashier — Jang decided to branch off and start his own business.
He turned to the place that saved his life before: his former rehabilitation center. There, Jang met 38-year-old Anthony Kang, who is now Out of Thin Air’s market manager. He oversees the weekly farmer market booths at the University of Southern California, Altadena, Atwater Village, and other Southern California locations.
“It’s come a long way in a very fast time,” said Kang. “[Jang] started out literally baking from his living room, with a tiny three-deck oven. Now, we’re in a commissary kitchen.”
Kang said it’s essential for people recovering from substance abuse to learn basic responsibilities such as time management and achieving financial independence after rehabilitation.
“Bread is just an avenue for us because we’re bakers by trade,” said Jang, who spent a decade battling drug addiction before starting Out of Thin Air. “But, our trade doesn’t define what we do or who we are.”
Jang works alongside one or two other bakers every morning in a rented, commercial kitchen space, shared with a few other small businesses. The Out of Thin Air team is small, but mighty — five total, including Jang. While he hopes to expand soon, Jang’s top priority remains paying his employees a liveable wage.
“Have you seen ‘The Bear’?” Jang jokes as opens the walk-in refrigerator.
I’ll admit, the resemblance between Jang and award-winning chef Carmy is uncanny. However, unlike Carmy’s destructive inclinations, Jang won’t get stuck, and the Out of Thin Air team will always be there for each other.