Riverdale’s Arnie Adler: From pandemic breadmaker to community icon

Arnie Adler, a familiar name in Riverdale, has built a strong community presence with just four ingredients: flour, water, salt and sourdough starter. When The Press visited, he was busy baking 37 loaves of bread destined for Riverdale Neighborhood House, where he’ll teach a new class this autumn.

Adler, an experienced photographer and dedicated family chef, turned to breadmaking during the pandemic. With his corporate and photography work dwindling, he sought a new creative outlet and was inspired by his daughter’s sourdough starter. Though his first few loaves were “disastrous,” Adler persevered, eventually developing a deep passion for breadmaking.

As Adler’s bread production outpaced his needs, he began donating surplus loaves to Riverdale’s Friendly Fridges. The positive response quickly earned him the nickname “bread guy,” with fridge-goers eagerly awaiting his deliveries. This success encouraged Adler to start bartering in a local Facebook group, where he would exchange loaves of fresh, homemade bread for goods like granola, fresh eggs, babkas, artwork and crafts.

Soon, locals who didn’t have items to trade began approaching Adler, expressing interest in purchasing bread after hearing about its quality.

“And I suddenly found myself in the micro bread baking business,” Adler said.

Stephanie Coggins, a customer, said she remembers when Adler initiated “the Pandemic Swap.”

“His baking roots started with kindness and community,” Coggins said, “and [his] breads are deliciously and masterfully baked.”

Adler even started receiving special requests, some of which he has incorporated into his website, offering varieties like cranberry walnut and everything bagel sourdough, with plans for Jewish rye and gluten-free options.

To accommodate the growth of his bread business and the desire to host baking classes, Adler set up a large baking table in his apartment. As part of a barter agreement, he enlisted a local floor refinisher to finish affordable tabletops he sourced from the hardware store. This new setup allowed Adler to bake 12 loaves at a time. After two ovens broke from overuse, staff in Alder’s building assisted by running a gas line for a larger oven.

In 2022, Adler’s story caught the eye of national media, leading to appearances on ABC Eyewitness News and The Kelly Clarkson Show, where he shared his journey with a larger audience.

He described these moments as surreal and a significant emotional milestone.

While he said he enjoys participating in “bread crawls” around the city with his partner Debbie — who, Adler noted, is not a fan of sourdough — he said he has no desire to open his own a bakery. From observing friends in the industry, Adler found bread alone isn’t a sustainable business model and he has no interest in diversifying into pastries or muffins.

He finds teaching far more rewarding.

Over the past two years, Adler has taught baking classes at Riverdale Neighborhood House, initially focusing on the breadmaking process and then adapting the curriculum to allow students to take home their own baked loaves. He is also preparing to teach at a synagogue and is researching how to adapt his recipes for kosher baking.

Adler said patience is most essential to mastering the art of breadmaking. Making dough relies heavily on time and temperature, working with a live culture.

“Baking bread is very humbling,” Adler said. “Until the bread comes out, you never know.”

Now, positive feedback and reviews from the community continue to affirm his journey.

“It’s made me appreciate Riverdale in a way I didn’t before. Just the way I was appreciated and accepted with my bread.”