A Customer Punched and Injured Workers at the East Bay Outpost of Beloved Bakery Starbread

Staff at an East Bay location of Starbread Bakery, known for its wonderful senorita bread seen at many a Bay Area party, had a run-in with an irate customer who allegedly repeatedly punched and injured both an employee and the owner. Store manager Jesse Sanchez told KTVU the customer was banned from the Pittsburg store during the holidays for not following COVID-19 protocols by social distancing. The customer returned July 18 to buy bread and — after allowing him to make a purchase — staff reminded him not to return. The man then reportedly stated his twin brother was the one who was banned. Sanchez says they gave the customer “the benefit of the doubt and even offered him a refund.”

The man then “demanded respect because he was in the military” KTVU reported, and things took a turn for the worse: he shoved the register, a doughnut case, and threw a credit card machine. After briefly leaving, he returned and apparently punched an employee in the head and eye, while the owner suffered a fractured hand and broken finger in the scuffle. No arrests have been made.

Longtime Clement Street bakery closes after 31 years

Restaurant and pastry business Red A Bakery is set to close up shop in mid-August, as owners Guo “Lam” Yu and Li “Hong” Chen plan to retire, SFGATE reports. The business at 634 Clement Street is known for its egg tarts, as well as Hawaiian barbecue items like spam musubi, and has been in business for 31 years. Son Eric Yu told the news outlet the birth of his son — Yu and Chen’s grandson — served as a reason his parents want to retire. “Seeing as how they are still relatively spry and mobile, they don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to chase their grandson around,” Yu says.

Miss Ollie’s chef Sarah Kirnon is busy with new pop-up and nonprofit

Berkeleyside recently caught up with chef Sarah Kirnon following the closure of the popular Miss Ollie’s, and currently, Kirnon is running a new pop-up dubbed Holder’s House out of the Forage Kitchen space. The new project has been going for a while, with Kirnon cooking four or five items each day, but they’re doing things at their own pace. “The big difference between Miss Ollie’s and Holder’s House is pretty much me cooking on my own,” Kirnon told Berkeleyside. “It’s my love letter to Oakland.” They have also opened the new nonprofit Sanctuary with Miles Dotson.

Here’s the star-studded GastroMagic Culinary Stage lineup at Outside Lands

For those looking to take a breather from the music at Outside Lands, there’s plenty to distract over at the GastroMagic Culinary Stage. Festival organizers announced a number of famous names and faces who will be gracing the stage, including “Top Chef” head judge Tom Colicchio, who will be joining in the festivities for the first time. Here’s the list of performers:

• Tom Colicchio
• Roy Choi
• Daniela Soto-Innes
• Kali Uchis
• Dominic Fike
• Pusha T
• Natasha Leggero
• Andrew Rea of Binging with Babish
• Phil Rosenthal of Somebody feed Phil!
• Ludo Lefebvre
• Nyesha Arrington
• 100 Gecs
• Lily Rosenthal
• Salt Hank
• Ravi Kapur
• Brenda’s French Soul Food
• Katey Red
• Paw Paw Rod