Anyone who has waited in line at Nathaniel Reid Bakery knows St. Louis has plenty of love for the Kirkwood pastry shop at 11243 Manchester Road. So when Food & Wine recently named the bakery’s brownie recipe the best among five recipes from renowned chefs tested by the publication, it felt less like a surprise and more like national confirmation of what local fans already knew.
In the article, “We Tested 5 Brownie Recipes From Famous Chefs and Found the One We’ll Bake Again and Again,” Food & Wine staff baked and evaluated brownie recipes from a roster of acclaimed chefs, judging each on flavor, texture and overall balance. The publication awarded the top spot to Lee Lee Reid’s Double Chocolate Chunk Brownies, praising their “deep chocolate flavor; chewy, fudgy texture; and irresistible crackly top” and noting that they “will please any chocolate aficionado.”
The winning recipe was originally developed by pastry chef and Nathaniel Reid Bakery co-owner Lee Lee Reid alongside her husband, Nathaniel Reid. It first appeared in Food & Wine in 2019, but the recent taste test put the recipe back in the spotlight, outperforming four other chef-created contenders.
“It’s always an honor to receive recognition from a publication as respected as Food & Wine,” Nathaniel Reid said. “Lee Lee spent years testing and refining this recipe, and it’s a great example of our belief that every product we make, no matter how simple it may seem, deserves the same level of care. We’re so proud to see her work recognized in this way.”
While the recipe earned national attention, St. Louisans don’t have to turn on their ovens to try it. The same brownies are available at Nathaniel Reid Bakery as part of the bakery’s daily lineup of pastries, desserts and savory offerings.
For home bakers hoping to recreate the award-winning treat, the recipe also remains available through Nathaniel Reid Bakery’s website.
