SOUTH MILWAUKEE — Sarah Mironczuk said she and her husband Kurt are in their happy place in the kitchen.

They opened Bakehouse 23 in Feb. 2023 at 1309 Milwaukee Avenue, in downtown South Milwaukee.

Mironczuk bakes all the sweets, and her husband cooks the savory soups and sandwiches. They purposely created Bakehouse 23 to be an open space, so they can create while interacting with customers.

Mironczuk is a classically trained pastry chef who’s worked for some big-name restaurants in southeast Wisconsin. She was once a winner on Food Network’s “Sweet Genius.”

“I had started baking programs for other companies and I just thought, ‘Why not try to do it for myself?’” said Mironczuk.

She built clientele by tantalizing their taste buds at pop-up events. Now, with her own brick and mortar space, she said she can run the business exactly as she wants. That means you won’t find a menu when you walk in.

“I don’t work off of a menu,” said Sarah Mironczuk. “Even with weddings. I do everything custom-to-order, so whatever the client wants, I imagine it and create it for them.”

The couple makes everything from scratch and in small batches for optimal freshness and minimal waste. The special orders aren’t always easy. Her latest request is for a matcha tea cake with buttercream frosting.

Mironczuk said she believes she can do it and loves a challenge.

“You just have to be comfortable being uncomfortable,” said Mironczuk. “If it’s not scary, it’s not worth it.” 

That attitude is paying off. She and her husband are already planning for future expansion.

“I love it,” said Mironczuk. “Baking is something I can do for a long period of time and keep getting progressively better at, and I love having that experience and getting that experience every day even owning my own business.”