Meet Lexie Justice | Gluten Free Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lexie Justice and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lexie, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
When we first started this business, both Kathy and I agreed to do whatever was necessary. This included each of us working a full-time job to help support our respective families while we worked hard but earned nothing at the bakery. It also often meant missing out on family gatherings or dinner with friends in order to be at one of the two jobs. The ideal of work / life balance is not stagnant. There are definitely times where the business is in stasis and the schedule is predictable and routine. Then we grow, acquire new business, and make ourselves so crazy with work. Inevitably, there is a magic tipping point where we can hire another employee and get back to a sane schedule again. I think many people perceive the idea of work / life balance as spending only “appropriate” amounts of time at work. For us, the phrase means always working hard but maintaining freedom and flexibility for the things that matter. Our thought is as long as the work is getting done, it does not matter when it gets done. This provides space for a kid’s track meet, an afternoon mountain bike ride, or just a day to relax.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a pastry chef and business owner. I have also been a teacher, a baker, a bean-to-bar chocolate maker; a bartender, a caterer, and award-winning product creator. As part of my culinary education, I spent about a month in Europe with a Completion of Course of study in the food of Provence with Monsieur René Berard, and a Completion of Corso di Enogastronomia Italiana at the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners. After culinary school, I was privileged enough to work for several great Denver-based chefs and got to do remarkable things like cook at the James Beard House for invited guest Jacques Pepin. Pastry cheffin’ eventually turned into teaching professional culinary students. It was during this time that I discovered I needed to be gluten free, a bit of a bummer, that. However, after a friend and I attended a rainy rock concert and drank a few Dark & Stormys, we decided to start Cheatin’ Wheat, a gluten free baking company. We have been in business for over 12 years and have won two Food and Beverage Industry (FABI) awards for our products.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Five Days in Denver! Mon – Go to Denver Art Museum, lunch at Leven Deli with a great glass of wine or cocktail, head South to Broadway to stroll shops, visit Divino wine and spirits, have a beer at TRVE brewery, quick bite at Joy hill. Head up to Santa Fe ESP HiFi for great vinyl and natural wines to end the evening.

Tues- Breakfast at Bakery Four then stroll shops along Tennyson, stroll up and around Berkeley Lake to burn off those pastries and prime for happy hour/dinner at Hey Kiddo, finish the night off at their roof top bar.

Weds – Go to Red Rocks Park to stroll, head up to Chief Hosa and take a hike at Beaver Brook before going to Evergreen for lunch and wine at the Creekside winery, stroll the town, paddle board at Evergreen lake, take in some live music at the Little Bear in Evergreen for an historic scene.

Thurs – Start the day at Union Station with coffee/breakfast at Snooze, walk or ride along 16th Street Mall for shopping and sights, head towards RiNo/Larimer streets for some shopping and snacks, stop in at Central Market, stroll the alleys for murals, grab a drink Noble Riot natural wine bar, continue down the street for a seat at the chef’s counter at Hop Ally. catch a comedy at Denver Comedy Lounge, nightcap at Millers & Rossi cocktail lounge

Fri – Take a lap around Wash Park, grab bites at Devils Food Bakery, head into Cherry Creek for a mall crawl and then walk the streets of Cherry Creek North for galleries, shops, etc, grab an snack at Forget Me Not for top cocktails and snacks, head over to LoHi for a few more interesting shops before a later dinner at Alma Fonda Fina, walk downhill for an ice cream at Little Man and then a nightcap at Williams&Graham

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Kathy and I could not be here without the support of our family and friends. There are really too many people to name and countless events that have shaped Cheatin’ Wheat over the years. We are always grateful, and as Kathy says, we “Find the Joy.”

Website: www.cheatinwheat.com