How Ingrid's Kitchen legend rose from Irene's Bakery

Last week marked the end of an era when Ingrid's Kitchen closed, but how far back that era stretches has come into question.

Some readers were perplexed about Ingrid's opening in 1982 on N Youngs when they had memories frequenting its location at 25th and Pennsylvania during the 1970s.

The answer to both questions has to do with Irene's Bakery, which opened almost 100 years ago in downtown Oklahoma City.

Ingrid's Kitchen first opened in 1982 at N Youngs, and quickly expanded into three during the 1980s. Over the next 40 years it would change hands, expand and contract before last week's final farewell. Ingrid's final owner, Lee Burrus, dated Ingrid's back to 1978. That's when Ingrid Simon Quitz (then Childers) purchased the Dutch Treat Deli in the Mayfair Shopping Center.

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At Dutch Treat, Ingrid sold bread from Irene's Bakery. At the time, Irene's was run by Stanley Siegal and his parents, the founders of Irene's Bakery, Jack and Irene Siegal. When Stanley's health began to fail, the Siegals were forced to sell the business but were happy Ingrid was the one who bought it.

"My dad was good friends with Ingrid," recalled his grandson, Richard Siegal. "He taught her the recipes and sold them to her with all the equipment."

Stanley Siegal died in 1989, but Jack continued to work for Ingrid well into his 90s.

"I want to say he worked in the bakery almost up until the day he died," Richard Siegal said.

Jack died in 1992 at the age of 99; Irene passed away in 1993 at the age of 91.

It's clear, without Irene's Bakery, Ingrid's Kitchen likely never would've emerged.

"We were the only kosher bakery in Oklahoma City for many years," Siegal said.

The retired law enforcement officer was among those who reached out. A phone interview followed in which he told me what it was like to grow up in a family of bakers.

"My dad, Stan Siegal, worked with my grandad at Irene’s Bakery from the late '40s to the early '80s," Siegal said. "The whole family worked there off and on until it closed."

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Richard Siegal said Stan and Dee Siegal and grandparents Jack and Irene were the soul of Irene’s Bakery. When Dad retired, they sold the business to Ingrid.

"It was a difficult time to watch all of the equipment from Irene’s, mixers, bread slicers, display cases, etc., being removed and taken to Ingrid’s on N Youngs," he said. "It was a family business up until then. My sister Kathy took it the most seriously. She worked there most of her life. But my sisters Debbie and Laurie and I all worked there while we were growing up helping to make bagels."

Siegal said his grandparents met in New York City after coming through Ellis Island, Jack from Poland and Irene from Russia. They moved to Oklahoma City about the time of World War I, Siegal said.

"My grandfather got a job at a bakery downtown," he said. "He wasn't there very long before the owner decided he was ready to retire, so my grandfather bought the bakery and changed the name."

According to Jack Siegal's obituary, Irene's Bake Shop opened in 1927 at NW 17 and Harvey Avenue.

Richard Siegal said the bakery started downtown but moved north over the years. Records show it had its grand opening at 309 N Harvey in October 1941. It stayed at that location, specializing in "refrigerated rye bread; all rye, no wheat" for almost two decades.

Richard Siegal said the business moved to NW 34 St. and Classen for a few years before, in February 1960, Irene's moved to 2600 NW 23. The sign changed from Irene's Bake Shop to Irene's Bakery some time during the 1970s, and the rest is history.

Siegal said he remembered one item that probably wouldn't go over well today.

"One item that was a big seller was gluten bread. Not gluten-free, but extra gluten," he said. "They also sold millet bread, steamed pumpernickel, French bread, hard rolls and all of the rye breads."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Ingrid's Kitchen owes debt to Irene's Bakery