Today we’d like to introduce you to Bobbyjo Rodriguez.
Hi Bobbyjo, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey to becoming an Advocate for food allergies and dietary restrictions started when I was a young kid. I grew up in the middle of nowhere, Nebraska, living with my grandmother, who had a gluten intolerance. I was able to see firsthand how she was treated. We’re talking about the 90s here, where there were limited options (hardly any), and people were beyond skeptical (even family members)—seeing what my grandmother went through and the lack of understanding stuck with me.
After high school, I moved to San Diego for the sunny weather. There, I attended Culinary Management at The Art Institute, but after falling in love with Baking & Pastry, I knew I had to switch. During an open lab for Artisan Breads, I attempted my first egg-free bread (a challah without eggs). I was inspired to create a bread that would be safe for my friend’s daughter, who has a severe egg allergy. At that time, the Culinary Arts didn’t take dietary restrictions and food allergies seriously, to the point that my chef dismissed the idea. I persisted, even having to bring my own ingredients. That moment fueled my passion for baking with an intense focus on inclusivity.
As graduation approached in 2011, I learned about Starry Lane Bakery, a first-of-its-kind top 8 allergen-free bakery. I knew I had to be a part of this bakery. I was thrilled and quite nervous for my interview with Jaime Schwartz, Founder of Starry Lane Bakery. During my interview, I learned that Jaime was a trained pastry chef who developed a life-threatening Tree Nut allergy as an adult in 2008 and could no longer work as a pastry chef. Jaime channeled her struggle into creating safe, inclusive baked goods. When she opened Starry Lane, the menu featured just three cookies. I’m happy to say it was a success.
I started working part-time in the Fall of 2011 and, over the years, worked my way up in the company. At the start of 2024, I became a part-owner in the bakery that I love. For me, it’s never been just a job. It’s about being the advocate my grandmother never had, creating tasty treats for children like my friend’s daughter, and providing families with a place where they can finally relax and enjoy a bakery experience without worry. Seeing kids pick out treats without fear, baking a child’s first birthday cake, and as the years go by, baking her sweet sixteen cake too, or watching an older guest enjoy fresh bread again. I’m so proud of being a part of what Starry Lane Bakery does for our community and continues to do.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh, there are always new challenges when running a business; it’s all about how you rise to meet those challenges that matter. I remember earlier on when we were still in Santee, the FDA added coconut to the Tree Nut List. Back then, we used a lot of coconut products, including coconut flour, coconut milk, and even shredded coconut. This was one of your first bumps in the road. We had to quickly rework all our recipes. Keep in mind that some of our recipes take years to develop. It wasn’t as easy as just removing the Coconut ingredient, but adding multiple ingredients to mimic the same structure that the coconut was giving to the recipe. It took a bit of time. We even learned to make our own rice milk since commercial options risked cross-contamination. Some products we just had to say goodbye to forever, like our coconut macaroons. But in the end, our products became even better.
Our biggest challenge, at our Hillcrest location – I wouldn’t even call it a bump, more like a sinkhole- was to navigate a whole new world when COVID-19 hit. Before, we were thriving and preparing to expand into savory options. Then, everything stopped. We closed for three months, lost staff, and had to streamline our menu. During this time, Jaime and I developed a line of baking mixes to help our community access safe treats at home. Just as we were recovering, a supply chain issue with our butter substitute forced another closure. It was a crushing setback, but we refused to let our community down. That struggle led to refining our mix kits, which are now an essential part of what we offer. As a result, we just launched a new product last fall: our cake mix, which is “Simple To Make” and “Safe To Enjoy.”
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Starry Lane is San Diego’s only dedicated Top 10 Allergen Free Bakery. That means we don’t use ANY gluten, soy, dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, sesame, and mustard in the whole bakery. We’re so proud that we can say we are a DEDICATED FACILITY. We’ve built our reputation by taking food allergies seriously. Our core belief is that if we treat every guest like they have a life-threatening food allergy, like Jaime, everyone will be safe because you deserve a safe place to be.
This is what it looks like when creating a Safe Place: we have the strictest protocols and policies when it comes to sourcing suppliers, the foods and drinks we allow into our shop by employees, and, yes, even those pertaining to our guests.
For a company to be one of our suppliers, they must provide us with an allergen statement for the product that outlines the following: none of the Top 10 Allergens are used in the facility, there are no shared lines, and no shared ventilation from other facilities. If a company doesn’t meet our strict requirements, we don’t use them, period.
For our employees, they are only allowed to bring in water, raw fruits, and vegetables (no coconuts). We take this matter very seriously, so if an employee attempts to bring anything in besides the listed items, it will result in automatic termination.
For our guests, we have a cabinet outside that can be opened to store food and drinks. Guests are more than welcome to bring in water. Our policy on No Outside Food & Drinks is different from many other establishments, which often require you to purchase food and drinks from them. We do this to prevent any potential spillage or cross-contamination on our surfaces, including tables and chairs. When you walk up to Starry Lane, there are at least 3 different signs posted about No Outside Food & Drinks. Signs are all over the bakery and on the tables. We take this very seriously.
While some people push back, others sincerely appreciate having a truly safe space. We have had people laugh at us, those who get upset with us, and those who walk out, never to return. Then we have our own guest who lets others know it’s not okay to bring in that coffee, smoothie, or ice cream. We also have guests who automatically put their drinks and food in the cabinet before walking in. We are internally grateful to you! You help with our unwavering commitment to safety and inclusion. This is what sets us apart and has earned the trust of the food allergy community. You’re worth it!
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Yes, we’re San Diego’s dedicated Top 10 Allergen-Free bakery. And yes, we take food safety seriously. But what we really want people to know is this: our products are delicious. Because taste always comes first.
We’ve spent years perfecting recipes that don’t rely on the usual ingredients—and you’d never know it. The number of times I’ve handed someone a cookie or a cupcake and they’ve said, “Wait, this is the gluten-free one?” is too many to count. It never gets old. I’ve brought our baked goods to parties, events, and family gatherings. More often than not, they’re gone before the traditional stuff. People don’t even realize what they’re eating is free from gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts… all of it. They just know it tastes really good.
We’ve built our reputation not just on being safe, but on being craveable. Our soft sandwich bread makes lunchtime exciting again. Our cinnamon rolls have developed a bit of a cult following. And our chocolate cupcakes? Let’s just say no one’s ever left disappointed.
Truthfully, many of our guests don’t have allergies or dietary restrictions at all—they just love the product. They love the way it tastes, the way it feels to eat something that brings everyone to the same table. I don’t have any food allergies myself, and I joke that I eat more of our baked goods than anyone should. This year, I’ve set a goal to stick to just three a day. It’s not going well.
At the end of the day, we don’t want to be the best “allergen-free” bakery. We want to be the bakery that makes you say, “That was amazing. Can I have another?”
Pricing:
- $5.75 Brownies
- $6.50 Cupcakes
- $15.00 Sandwich Loaf
- $16.00 Cake Mix
- Custom Cakes Prices Varies
Contact Info:
- Website: https://starrylanebakery.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starrylane_bakery/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/starry-lane-bakery-san-diego
- Other: https://order.toasttab.com/online/starry-lane-bakery-3925-fourth-ave
Image Credits
Lauren Kalchik
Bobbyjo Rodriguez
