About Ayu Bakehouse
Ayu Bakehouse is a modern bakery in New Orleans’ Marigny neighborhood that celebrates flavors both local and far-flung through the lens of a baker.
Opened in 2022 by Kelly Jacques and Samantha Weiss, Ayu (pronounced like “bayou”) transcends categories, with chocolate babka knots and pandan-infused kaya buns piled high alongside muffuletta breadsticks and egg- and boudin-stuffed croissants.
Located on the quiet end of New Orleans’ bustling Frenchmen Street, it’s an airy oasis anchored by a hearth oven that gives way to warm, fresh pastries and sourdough loaves throughout the changing rhythms of the day.
From composting kitchen scraps, to sourcing local ingredients like raw Louisiana cane sugar, to donating all unsold items each day, sustainability is at the forefront of Ayu’s business.
Ayu was named one of the most exciting bakeries in the country by Bon Appétit and has earned praise in Food & Wine, Bloomberg, Southern Living, and The Infatuation. Its king cake was voted best in New Orleans in NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune’s readers’ choice king cake bracket.
Meet Kelly & Sam
Kelly Jacques
Co-Owner and Chef, Ayu Bakehouse
Kelly Jacques co-owns Ayu Bakehouse, a beloved modern bakery in New Orleans, with her friend and longtime colleague Samantha Weiss. As chef, Kelly has led the bakery to critical acclaim for its creative interpretation of flavors—from Kelly’s Southeast Asian heritage and Samantha’s New York upbringing to their adoptive hometown of New Orleans—through the lens of pastry. Together with Samantha, she has also parlayed her passion for mentorship into programs like Ayu Schoolhouse, a paid employee benefit that teaches entrepreneurial and practical skills.
Kelly grew up in Annapolis, MD, but found her way to New Orleans in 2006, when she enrolled at Tulane University. She fell in love with the city in the ensuing years and, after graduating, began work as a pastry cook at Emeril’s NOLA. On the side, she launched her first entrepreneurial venture, The Bikery, a bike-delivered baking pop-up. Seeking to broaden her pastry experience, she moved to New York City in 2012 to start pastry school at the International Culinary Center.
In 2013, Kelly found a job on the opening team of Breads Bakery. During her nine-year tenure, she climbed the ranks from bread baker to COO, always honing a skill for producing quality at quantity as the bakery grew in tandem with her. Perhaps most significantly, it was during Kelly’s time at Breads that she reconnected with Samantha Weiss, whom she had met at ICC.
Kelly always knew she would return to New Orleans and finally made it back in early 2020, just weeks before the pandemic began. Samantha was not long behind her, and in June 2022, Ayu Bakehouse opened its doors. Within its first year of business, Ayu was featured in Southern Living’s “40 Best Restaurants in New Orleans For Every Price Point”; in 2024, Bon Appétit named it one of the most exciting bakeries in the country. Ayu Bakehouse has since earned praise in Food & Wine, Bloomberg, and The Infatuation, and its king cake was voted best in New Orleans in NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune’s readers’ choice king cake bracket.
When she’s not at the bakery, Kelly enjoys making ceramics and hanging out with her neighbors in New Orleans’ Bywater with her husband Jake, their baby daughter Josie, and their dogs Boogers and ChiChi.
Samantha Weiss
Co-Owner, Ayu Bakehouse
Samantha Weiss is the co-owner of Ayu Bakehouse, a beloved modern bakery in New Orleans, alongside her friend and longtime colleague Kelly Jacques. Ayu is known for capturing global flavors—from Samantha’s New York upbringing and Kelly’s Southeast Asian heritage to their adoptive hometown of New Orleans—through the lens of pastry. At Ayu, Samantha leverages her extensive finance background and operational know-how to steer the ship; she has also helped pioneer innovative, progressive business practices for her team, including Ayu Schoolhouse, a paid employee benefit focused on sharing industry knowledge and mentorship.
A native of Albany, NY, Samantha entered the pastry world with a double identity. She got her start studying business administration at Northeastern University in Boston. Working in financial services by day, she quietly pursued a career change by enrolling in night and weekend classes at New York City’s International Culinary Center, where she first met Kelly Jacques.
After trading her business suits for chef whites, Samantha went on to work with some of NYC’s biggest names in food, including award-winning MOF Jacques Torres and Michelin-starred chef Michael White. Eventually, she landed at Breads Bakery, where she reconnected with Kelly and led wholesale and catering sales for the acclaimed and ever-growing business.
In 2021, Samantha made her way to New Orleans, where she and Kelly finally pursued their shared dream of building their own business. A year later, in June 2022, Ayu opened its doors. During its first year of business, Ayu was featured in Southern Living’s “40 Best Restaurants in New Orleans For Every Price Point,” with recognition in Bon Appétit the following year, naming Ayu as one of the most exciting bakeries in the country. It has since earned praise in Food & Wine, Bloomberg, and The Infatuation, and its king cake was voted best in New Orleans in NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune’s readers’ choice king cake bracket.
Outside of work, Samantha can be found frequenting other local restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and retail shops. A big fan of travel and tennis, she lives in New Orleans’ Central Business District with her long-time partner, Stephen.