Kosher micro-bakery find itself a foodie mecca

NOMI KALTMANN meets Maaryasha Werdiger, whose kosher sourdough bakery Zelda started in her garage and has quickly become a Melbourne foodie sensation

AS YOU APPROACH Zelda bakery in Melbourne’s Ripponlea, the first thing you notice is the queue stretching halfway down the block.

It is not surprising that people walking by stop to check out what’s going on, because Zelda bakery is a Melbourne foodie sensation.

The kosher sourdough bakery is the brainchild of paediatric physiotherapist Maaryasha Werdiger.

What started as a garage-based baking project is now being given coverage in major media outlets including Broadsheet, the ABC and Goodfood.

Werdiger called her bakery Zelda because the name evoked what she was trying to express through her baking: “It’s a European woman’s name, it’s a bit quirky. It’s a strong name. And it’s easy to say.” (Sometimes, in homage to the name, Werdiger will slash a Z on some of her loaves). 

The bakery is a product of a fortuitous set of circumstances that occurred just over a decade ago.

“I have always loved baking and hosting parties and events. I had never had sourdough before 2010, when I was living in Jerusalem and my friend, who was into healthy food, gifted me a sourdough starter,” Werdiger says. “[She] wrote down a basic recipe and instructions on what to do with the starter.”

Werdiger, now 41, became hooked and started baking sourdough bread. Her bread tasted good but was dense.

“At the time, there was nothing to read, there were no books on sourdough but a few sourdough bakeries were popping up in Jerusalem,” she says.