About Us

Rise & Grain Breadhouse started with me, Megan Castellan. I started my career in marketing for a large food corporation, a position I was in for 8 years. While the job was stable and paid well, I felt disconnected from the end product. I was helping market processed foods that I wouldn’t even feed my own family. I started baking sourdough bread as a stress reliever around 2015, and quickly became obsessed with perfecting my technique. The family and friends I gave my loaves to raved about it and encouraged me to start selling the bread. When the pandemic hit in 2020 and I was forced to work from home, I started seriously questioning career path and decided to test the waters at local farmers’ market in spring 2021 to see if there was genuine interest in artisanal bread in our community. I never expected the overwhelming response! People would line up before the market even opened to make sure they got a loaf. That’s when I knew this could be viable as a full-time business. So I quit my marketing job and used the money from my severance package to open our first bakery in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of downtown Cincinnati. Now, my small team and I work hard everyday to create delicious, traditionally-made foods to nourish your body and soul!

Our Mission

To reconnect people with traditionally-made bread and pastries that nourish both body and community. We believe good food brings people together and creates meaningful moments.

Our Vision

To become a cornerstone of our local food culture, where people don’t just come for exceptional baked goods but also to learn, connect, and rediscover the joy of real food made with care and time.

Our Values

• Craftsmanship – We honor traditional baking methods that take time but yield superior results.
• Transparency – We’re proud to share exactly what goes into our products and how they’re made.
• Community – We support local farmers, educate customers, and create a welcoming space.
• Sustainability – We minimize waste, use compostable packaging, and source ingredients responsibly.
• Quality over quantity – We’d rather sell out than compromise our standards.

Owner – Megan Castellan

Hi, I’m Megan! I love selling food I’m proud of, meeting new people, and seeing my creations bring people and communities together!

Head Baker – Maya Garcia

Nice to meet you, I’m Maya! My passion for food began at a very young age. Growing up in a Mexican – American home, my house will was constantly filled with fresh ingredients and the smell of spices. I would watch my mom and grandma cook the most delicious meals with these foods, and then we would all sit around the table and laugh as we ate. Some of my best memories come from the dinner table. Once I was old enough, my mom and grandma invited me into the kitchen with them and taught me everything they knew. I fell in love with it, and knew it was what I wanted to do with my life. I graduated from the culinary arts program at Cincinnati State in 2021 and met Megan and Sarah at a local farmer’s market not long after! I was blown away by Megan’s sourdough loaves and other baked goods, and I fell in love with the mission of Rise & Grain Bakehouse. Now, working here, I get to help people feel the same joy and togetherness that I felt at my childhood dinner table! I can’t imagine a better role for me!