Photography by Jessica Turner

Keith Cedotal practically grew up in the kitchen. Between his French and Mexican grandparents, Cedotal was exposed to many different cooking styles and flavors. Far from the gadgets found in the high-end eateries in his portfolio, Cedotal learned to cook by eye and taste.

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“I just remember watching them cook and I was always amazed by the flavors of their dishes,” Cedotal says. “They both inspired me because they were both so humble and confident in their skills.”

Cedotal brings these blended cultures and experience in Dallas’ top restaurants to his own “bake-aurant,” called KEESH, or Keith’s Epic East-Side House.

“I’m a Texas native,” he says. “But I got to visit my family in France this past year, and I thought that I’d kind of make it (KEESH) a Texas bakery on tour and give it a French twist.”

These inspirations are evident in his pastry menu, with current items like a breakfast taco “KEESH” with housemade salsa or a chocolate pecan eclair with brown butter custard. The menu rotates regularly to keep up with seasonal trends.

Cedotal was also influenced by his history as a chef in many of Dallas’ top restaurants. He started his career at The Art Institute of Dallas, before working as a pastry chef for venues like Hotel ZaZa, the Adolphus, Craft, Uchi and the Joule Hotel.

“I took a little bit from everybody, the good and the bad,” he says. “After working with so many people, you get to a point where you’re like ‘I can do this,’ and I’ve learned a lot from their knowledge and education.”

The “bake-aurant” serves more than pastries and token keeshes. Cedotal handmakes a seasonal fruit jam (currently fig), granola, pickles, hummus and hot pockets. 

While Cedotal started the business baking the pastries in his home kitchen, the pastries soon took over, and he began baking in a ghost kitchen downtown. He then delivers them himself to ZIP codes 75206, 75214, 75218, 75223 and 75228 every weekend. But he’s on the hunt for an East Dallas building to turn KEESH into a local spot. 

“We live in East Dallas, and I love Dallas,” Cedotal says. “It reminds me of San Antonio’s vibe, so I wanted to focus on the community and the east side.”

Customers can order by 1 p.m. Thursdays and receive their pastries and other foods hand-delivered that Saturday or Sunday from 8-11 a.m. for a $4 delivery fee. From order to delivery, Cedotal is KEESH’s one-man show. Some of the eggs used in the pastries are even from his own backyard, where he has seven pet chickens.

Cedotal named his first three chickens after the Golden Girls, and after two of them died, he got two more: Heckle and Jeckle. Four chickens later, (Stevie, Amy, Plum and Violet) Cedotal’s husband said, “enough,” and Cedotal was left with seven bakery helpers.

“It helps with egg production,” he says. “It’s weird and they’re a weird animal, but I love it.”

KEESH, keith@keeshbakery.com