Our

Simply the

Best Bakery

Bakery Nouveau was opened in 2006, by William Leaman and his wife Heather. Bakery Nouveau is recognized all over the world as a one of America’s most extraordinary bakeries and has become a Seattle Icon.

Self-taught, and later mentored by many world-renowned chefs, William Leaman, Co-Owner and Chef of Seattle, Washington’s Bakery Nouveau, has over 35 years of experience in the professional baking industry. He has been named one of the Top 10 Next Generation Chocolatiers in the United States and was Captain of the World Champion 2005 Bread Baker’s Guild Team USA for The Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (World Cup of Baking).

A working Chef, William, can often be found in one of the shops doing anything from rolling croissant or baguette, fixing ovens, making bread, cutting fruit for jam, crafting chocolates and desserts, to one of his favorite tasks- research and development of next seasons creations. One of the things William is most proud of is the fact that the success of Bakery Nouveau has allowed him to be part of the Seattle community, and to be able to repay all those who coached and mentored him throughout his career by coaching and mentoring chefs of the next generation.

His recent awards include:

Good Food Awards- 2024 Black Raspberry Jam & 70% Confection, 2022 Superior Cacao 80% Signature Blend (Chocolate Bar), 2020 The Bitter Nag® and Pisa Haiti (Chocolate Bars)
Deutsche Brotinstitut- Certificate of “Very Good” For traditional Dresden Stollen (Germany’s highest designation).
Northwest Chocolate Festival- 2018 Gold for 70% Confection
Seattle Times Best in the PNW- 2023 (inaugural year) Peoples Choice award for Best Bakery
Seattle Met Magazine- Many awards and acknowledgments
Coupe du Monde de Boulangerie- 2005 Gold award winner and captain of the 2005 Bread Bakers Guild Team USA
Zagat- Rating of 28 out of 30 points
(see the FULL LIST HERE)