MISSION
GRAIN IS OUR MEDIUM FOR CHANGE.
We are on a crusade to change how you think about grains. Dry Storage is an artisan mill that celebrates chefs, bakers, brewers, distillers and farmers.
TRANSFORMATION
We seek to forge a new connection between people and grains. Freshly milled flour is akin to produce or wine: alive, nuanced, and expressive of terroir. Like any ingredient, it’s best fresh. Through our community, our mill, our bakehouse, and our partner restaurants, we work to transform how grains are used and understood.
CHEFS FIRST
We are chefs first. Our focus is on the finished product, and we work backward from there. We won’t grow, mill, or ship anything that won’t create a delicious baked good or an elevated dish. We opened Dry Storage bakehouse to push how far we can take grains and formulate all our flours for our restaurant concepts first and our distillery partners. This perspective sets us apart from all other commercial mills.
IMPACT
We believe that our grains are an antidote to the modern industrialized food system. Organic agriculture and regenerative practices nourish the soil and combat climate change. By buying direct from farmers and investing in the supply chain, we seek to restore rural economies and strengthen local foodsheds.
THE LAST MILE
We believe that growing demand for single varietal grains comes from critical consumerism and innovative use by chefs, bakers, distillers, and brewers. It is this group that is creating the personal, intimate consumer experiences which are the key. We call that connection and experience the “Last Mile.”
Kelly whitaker
The innovation, passionate advocacy, and leadership of James Beard-nominated Chef Kelly Whitaker is the engine behind Dry Storage. Kelly launched Boulder-based Id Est Hospitality Group in 2005 as a communion of passions: culinary inspiration, care of the guest experience, and greater accessibility to high-quality grains and Colorado ingredients. He and his team at IEHG have received critical acclaim for their restaurants and are also in demand for culinary consultation in the development of restaurant concepts.
Kelly’s journey as an advocate for reviving the grain economy began with the opening of Basta, an award-winning woodfired restaurant, in 2010. In 2016, Kelly co-founded the Noble Grain Alliance to support the restoration of local grain production through farming, milling, and distribution. Noble Grain Alliance planted Turkey Red wheat on 16 acres. Following that experience, Kelly and his team sought the best talent to learn and develop their specific approach to flour. They began milling flour for his own restaurants on a Osttiroler Mill. In 2019, Kelly opened Dry Storage Bakehouse to expand his milling operation and highlight the complexity and flavor of breads and pastries made with locally sourced, heirloom grains. After a successful harvest of 50 acres of heirloom wheat planted in partnership with Jones Farm in San Luis Valley, CO, the Id Est team opened a commercial milling facility in Boulder, CO in early 2020.
A 2019 and 2020 James Beard Award nominee, Kelly continues to push the envelope across four restaurant concepts including The Wolf’s Tailor, named hottest top ten new restaurants 2019 by Bon Appetit, and Dry Storage bakery, our R&D test kitchen and grain showroom. In addition to his involvement in the local grain movement, Kelly is an active member of Chefs Collaborative, Slow Food Nations, and sits on the Blue Ribbon Task Force for Monterey Bay Seafood Watch.
FRIENDS
DOING THE WORK
We stand strong together as we spark a revolution in food and work to fix the supply chain.