More Than a Bakery | Jonathan Bethony on Grain, Farmers & Connection

What if the best bakery in town isn’t really in the bread business?

Jonathan Bethony, founder of Seylou Bakery in Washington, D.C., has built one of the country’s most respected bakeries around a simple but profound idea: every loaf begins long before flour reaches the mixing bowl. It begins with healthy soil, thoughtful farmers, heritage grains, and relationships built on trust.

In this episode, Jonathan shares an extraordinary personal journey that spans the Adirondacks, Senegal, California’s Bread Lab, and ultimately the creation of Seylou. Along the way, we explore how faith, service, and curiosity shaped his approach to baking and why he believes a bakery can become a place that reconnects people not only with their food, but with one another.

In this episode:

• Why Seylou is “more than a bakery”
• How regional grain farmers are rebuilding local food systems
• The importance of fresh-milled whole grains and heritage wheat
• What regenerative agriculture means from a baker’s perspective
• The unexpected journey that took Jonathan from music to Senegal to baking
• How partnerships between farmers and bakers create better food for everyone
• Why slowing down and knowing where our food comes from matters
• The role connection plays in building healthier communities through food

About Jonathan Bethony

Jonathan Bethony is the founder of Seylou Bakery in Washington, D.C., where every loaf is made with freshly milled whole grains sourced directly from regional farmers committed to regenerative agriculture. A former baker at the Bread Lab, Jonathan has spent his career exploring the relationship between grain, farming, nutrition, and community. Through Seylou, he demonstrates how food can become a bridge between farmers, bakers, and the people they nourish every day.