By MInnie Payne 

Tu-Lu’s gluten free bakeries don’t have to advertise other than by word of mouth and the bustling crowd of customers prove that to be true.

Cupcakes, muffins, cookies, brownies, Paninis, quiche and cakes are just some of the things found on the menu.  Dairy free and egg free products are also available.  For a complete list, go to www.tu-lusbakery.com.

Tully Phillips, 31-year-old co-owner of Dallas’ Tu-Lu’s Bakeries, learned, at age 27, that she was gluten intolerant.  She immediately thought of all the pasta, bagels, pizza and cupcakes that she would have to give up.  “Not to be deterred, I started experimenting with gluten free recipes,” Phillips says.  “After about two months, I was successful in creating delicious choices.”

After graduating from Southern Methodist University, Phillips pursued her passion for cooking by attending culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Austin, but the concentration was mostly on savory cooking.  Following Le Cordon Bleu, she interned at Gramercy Tavern in New York and worked for two gourmet catering companies before entering a master’s program in food studies at New York University.  

                    
                          Tully Phillips and Jennifer Wells co-owners

Because I want other gluten intolerant people to enjoy tasty pastries, I opened my first gluten free Dallas bakery on Sherry Lane in March 2012, and at that time, my co-owner Jennifer Wells started working at the original Manhattan’s East Village location” she remarks.  “A third Dallas bakery recently opened at 3699 McKinney Avenue.”     

Phillips says that their main objective is to offer products that make people happy and that everything they put into their bakery case is of the best quality, taste and texture.  “We’re constantly trying to come up with new ideas to improve our product and get customers excited,” she says.  “Obviously, there’s something for everyone,” Phillips says.  “A lot of people have multiple allergies or intolerances.”

Each Tu-Lu’s product is different, but all contain some combination of rice flour, tapioca flour and potato starch.  No preservatives or hydrogenated oils are used, making all products trans-fat free.  The facilities are 100 percent gluten free, and everything can be shipped via UPS, with the exception of cupcakes, anything with icing, doughnuts, vegan agave brownies, quiche, and white cheddar jalapeno corn muffins. 

Phillips says that their greatest reward is when parents bring their gluten intolerant children into the bakery and they are told that they can eat anything they want.  “That’s what keeps us going,” she says.  “It’s difficult when children celebrate birthdays or special occasions and they can’t eat cake or other pastries.”  

                 
                   New York             Sherry Lane Dallas  - West Village Dallas

Jennifer Wells, 31-year-old co-owner who operates Manhattan’s first 100 percent dedicated gluten free bakery, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in September 2009.  The combination of having found a gluten free diet lifestyle and her passion for the culinary world, resulted in her leaving the financial industry in June 2011 to establish a partnership with Tully Phillips.  
Because it’s a 24-hour/seven-day workweek, Phillips and Wells admit that owning a successful business is demanding, but striving for excellence and introducing gluten free products for those who have restrictions or allergies make it all worthwhile.

“Tully and I remain completely dedicated to continuing to run a very successful business and building the Tu-Lu’s brand,” Wells says.  “We’ve had a strong following and solid customer platform from the beginning, and we look forward to reaching many more people in the near future.”

338 East 11th Street, New York, NY 10003  Phone:(212) 777-2227
6055 Sherry Lane  Dallas, TX 75225  (214) 730-0049
West Village   3699 McKinney Ave.  Suite 318  Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 780-0188

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Minnie Payne is the food reporter for Green Source DFW, focusing on DFW stories that include agriculture,  sustainable wines, green grocers, community gardens, green restaurants, etc. She’s open to all food story suggestions from readers. She was a writer for Pegasus News and presently freelances for Living Magazine and Frisco Style Magazine,  contact her at  972-416-2823, jdpmap@verizon.net