A Sweet Legacy: Bent and Michelle Olsen on 60 Years of Danish Baking in Solvang
A recap of the “Food for Thought Speakers Series: Solvang’s Rich History of Danish Baking” that took place on November 16th at the Neal Taylor Nature Center at Cachuma Lake
On a rainy Sunday afternoon at the Neal Taylor Nature Center, dozens of visitors gathered to hear a remarkable story of immigration, tradition, and perseverance. Bent Olsen, the 60-year veteran baker and owner of Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery in Solvang, shared his journey from a small Danish island to becoming a cornerstone of Solvang’s unique identity—joined by his granddaughter Michelle, who represents the fourth generation of the family’s baking legacy.
From Ærø to Solvang: A Baker’s Journey
Bent’s story begins on the Danish island of Ærø, in the town of Ærøskøbing, where his family had run a bakery since 1890. After training under his father and grandfather, and furthering his education in Sweden to learn candy making, chocolate work, and confectionery, Bent received life-changing advice from his father in 1965.
“He had been here before in the 50s,” Bent recalled. “He said, Solvang is definitely a place with opportunity… I think it would be a good future for you in Solvang.”
So Bent made the leap, arriving in California as part of a wave of young Danish immigrants drawn to this unique village. Like many newcomers, he attended English classes in Santa Barbara, where he met “a little Italian girl”—his future wife. They’ve been in Solvang ever since.
Building a Bakery, Weathering Storms
In 1970, Bent opened Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery, but the path wasn’t always smooth. He vividly remembers the 1972 energy crisis, when gas rationing meant people could only buy fuel on odd or even days based on their license plate.
“Solvang was completely empty,” Bent said. “We thought we were going to close up and go back to Denmark again.”
But the crisis passed, and the bakery persevered. Decades later, they faced another existential threat during the COVID-19 pandemic when tourism evaporated overnight. Once again, they tightened their belts and survived.
“Crisis comes, crisis goes,” Bent philosophized. “That’s just the life. That’s how it is.”
Bent cuts his signature kringle for attendees to enjoy.
The Secret to Solvang’s Bakery Success
One of the most surprising facts about Solvang is that six bakeries thrive in a town of just 6,500 residents. How is this possible?
“Tourism,” Bent explained simply. “We are definitely living on tourism.”
But he was quick to clarify that each bakery operates independently. “A lot of people think that the cookies are produced in one big place for all the different bakeries. But that’s not the way it is. Every bakery has their own cookie production.”
The competition is friendly but real, and quality is paramount. “You never want to go down on quality,” Bent emphasized, noting that many of his bakers have been with him for 40 years.
Keeping Tradition Alive
What sets Olsen’s apart is their commitment to old-world techniques. While baking in Denmark has evolved rapidly, Bent has deliberately maintained traditional recipes and methods.
“We follow the old recipes, we follow the old procedures,” he said. “We believe that it’s still the best.”
This includes some of their signature items, such as the kringle and the kransekake, a luxury almond ring cake that Bent jokes is essential for any wedding. “If you don’t get a kransekage for your wedding, I cannot guarantee that your marriage won’t go kaput,” he said with a smile.
Bent’s granddaughter Michelle was proud to share that everything is made on-site from scratch, from over 100 different products including butter cookies, fancy pastries, and Danish breakfast items. The bakery even makes its own jam fresh every two weeks.
Passing the Torch
Now in his eighties, Bent is carefully transitioning the business to the next generation. Michelle, Nick, and Dennis Olsen, Bent’s grandchildren, are helping the bakery move into the future. They take turns splitting their time between Solvang and Norway.
“Michelle is there every single day, and I teach her as much as I possibly can,” Bent said proudly. “She’s doing remarkably well.”
Michelle’s earliest memory of the bakery? “The big showcase. It’s all the colors. When you’re a kid and you just look in there, it’s just so overwhelming.”
With two great-grandchildren already born and another on the way, the Olsen baking tradition seems secure for years to come.
The Future of Solvang
Throughout the presentation, Bent expressed both pride in Solvang and concern for its future. He’s watched the town grow prettier over six decades but worries about development pressure.
“We hope that Solvang will hold on to its small, quaint little town,” he said. “We don’t want it to be a big town. There’s a lot of big money that has its eyes on Solvang.”
He pointed to Kingsburg, a once-Swedish town near Fresno that has lost its cultural identity, as a cautionary tale. To preserve Solvang’s uniqueness, Bent believes the community must remain vigilant about maintaining architectural standards and resisting overdevelopment.
A Recipe for Longevity
When asked about his full head of hair at his age, Bent shared his secret with a twinkle in his eye: “I eat three butter cookies a day and a piece of pastry a day. That’s my recipe for keeping my hair. I do it every day. I never miss a day.”
After 60 years of 3 a.m. wake-up calls, endless batches of dough, and countless kringles, Bent Olsen and his family have become more than bakers—they are guardians of tradition, a bridge between old and new worlds, and a testament to the enduring appeal of doing something well and doing it with love.
As attendees sampled luxury kringle with fresh coffee, it was clear that Solvang’s sweet legacy is in good hands, rising like perfectly proofed dough into its next chapter.
Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery is located in Solvang, California, and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. They ship nationwide and serve as the breakfast provider for four local hotels. For more information, visit olsensdanishvillagebakery.com or call (805) 688-6314.
