Y’ollk Bakery Dishes Scratch-Made Sweet And Savory Fare In Severna Park

On the heels of a lengthy buildout and with great community anticipation, a new eatery opened its doors in the Park in September. Y’ollk Bakery celebrated its grand opening last month and was welcomed with much fanfare.

With co-owners originally from the Philippines and Turkey, Y’ollk offers a curated menu rooted in traditional baking and French-inspired technique with Filipino and Turkish flavors thoughtfully incorporated. Sweet – but not too sweet – treats range from macarons and cake pops to cinnamon rolls and brioche donuts. Savory offerings include biscuits and handcrafted sandwiches, and the menu is rounded out with a full slate of espresso beverages.

Owners Marie Cris Garay and Basaran “Bas” Mulgan met while working at a catering company and dreamed up opening a bakery together. Each brings a unique culinary background to the table.

Garay, who came to the U.S. in 2015 after meeting her husband in the Philippines in 2012, enrolled in cooking classes at Anne Arundel Community College but fell in love with decorating cakes during a baking and pastry class and never looked back. She resides in Arnold with her husband and two young daughters.

Mulgan, who is Turkish, has been in the states since 2012. He is an experienced culinary professional who was a chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman and has worked alongside French and Michelin-starred chefs. He and his family now live in Ellicott City, after moving to the Baltimore area to be near his wife’s family.

“I wanted to (open) in Severna Park because we don’t have a local bakery – like, artisan, where you make everything from scratch, intentional. Like you put your heart into it,” Garay said. “I want … every family to have a memorable experience here. When you come here, you feel welcome.”

Those desires are evidenced by the name Y’ollk: It is a play on words that combines egg yolks, a foundation of baking, with the colloquialism y’all, illustrating that the bakery is for everyone.

Along with a welcoming atmosphere, the experience is made memorable at Y’ollk by quality ingredients and unique flavors. Garay shared that she grew up eating ube almost daily in the Philippines. A subtly sweet purple yam native to Southeast Asia, ube is paired with coconut in rolls and donuts at Y’ollk. Tombul, a spread created by Mulgan and Garay that is made in Maryland and marries Turkish hazelnuts with cocoa, is also used in one-of-a-kind confections.

Garay and Mulgan take pride in making everything from scratch in small batches using quality ingredients. Pastries are made fresh every day; nothing is frozen. Garay said she plans to source produce from the Severna Park farmers’ market and is limiting preservatives and food dyes. Sweetness is curtailed as well, allowing natural flavors like yuzu to shine.

Mulgan praised Garay’s attention to detail, noting that it seemed as though this was not her first time opening a bakery. The two collaborate on developing menu items and Mulgan anticipates bringing more Mediterranean flavors to savory dishes. “But in general, she’s running the show – and doing it very well,” he said of Garay.

Opening day for Y’ollk Bakery did not arrive without difficulty. Mulgan oversaw construction, which he said was also from scratch since the storefront was previously a retail space. It was a long journey, Garay said, but family and friends believed in her vision and were there to help.

“It’s very stressful and challenging, but I would do it again now that I can bake (and) share the baking,” she said. “It feels very good.”

Garay shared that the front-of-house staff are mostly students, and that’s by design. “As a woman, I want to be a good role model to ‘Go for it!’ You know, if you dream big, you can do it,” she said. “The students – I would love to learn from them, and I hope that they will learn from me.”

When fully staffed, Y’ollk will employ about 16 people. The bakery is still hiring, and Garay said she is looking for more bakers to join the team. Currently, Y’ollk is operating with a temporary schedule and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Y’ollk Bakery is located at 489 Ritchie Highway, Suite 101. To learn more, follow the bakery on Facebook or Instagram.