Samantha Rees Opens Saison Bakery in Brooklyn's Bed-Stuy

Samantha Rees opened her first bakery, Saison, on July 11 in Brooklyn's Bed-Stuy neighborhood. The bakery, located on a sunny corner with large windows and sidewalk café seating, features a warm, whimsical interior designed by Beatrice Tait-Loft and Nathan Német of Studio N&TL. Rees, a self-taught baker, started Saison during COVID as a project to keep her anxious hands busy and to offer comfort through homemade treats. The bakery has been years in the making, growing organically from her apartment baking. The interior, which Rees describes as an extension of her home, reflects her love for the natural world. The menu includes rustic, seasonally driven American-style bakes such as cinnamon sugar muffins, buttery scones with homemade jam, flourless chocolate cake, stone fruit frangipane cake, and a signature olive oil cake topped with mascarpone cream. The team consists of seven women who have quickly found their rhythm together. Rees notes that opening the bakery has turned her life upside down but has never felt more alive, emphasizing the importance of embracing the unexpected. The bakery has become a welcoming space where golden hour light pours through windows, creating a sacred moment each day.