You probably recognize Bob Moore’s face from the package of every Bob’s Red Mill product—he’s the guy with the white beard and friendly smile. After falling in love with stone-milling at their family farm, Moore founded the company with his wife in 1978 in Oregon City, Oregon. The brand, which is known for its wide range of flours and alternative grains, is now in grocery stores across the country. On February 10, Moore died at 94, the company announced.
That was when I was working in restaurants such as Jean-Georges and Marea, and I remember being shocked to see the same ingredients we used in a professional kitchen, like xanthan gum, right there on the shelf. It sat next to the niche grains and hard-to-find flours like amaranth and hazelnut flour that, previously, were mostly confined to health food stores. I’m certainly not the only baker or cook to have a moment like that—and that’s what’s most impressive about the company.