How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
It was born at 1203 Hidalgo Street in downtown Oaxaca because I truly believe it was destined to be there. After almost two years of searching unsuccessfully and days away from giving up, finally—by chance, and after stubbornly walking all over downtown hundreds of times—in October 2022 we found a space with the necessary conditions for installing equipment and operating our bakery. The first thing that stands out is the lime-blue color of the facade, which is the original color it remains to this day. The moment I walked in, I knew exactly where everything would go. Most of the chefs I know, when asked this same question, all answer that "they didn't choose the place, the place chose them." Honestly, I never believed that, until it happened to me.
What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
We have a daily routine of breakfast and a briefing before the store opens, where breakfast is prepared by a different member of the bakery staff each day of the week. That person is also responsible for sharing a phrase, idea, or concept with us, which is central to our operation and, in turn, brings us closer to the person behind the uniform and helps us discover that we have more in common than we realize.
If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
The Danish with rhubarb, hibiscus and vanilla chantilly, the passion fruit and xoconostle spandauer, and the guava cruffin with chai tea sugar.
What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
Ultimately, it's incredibly difficult to start a business in general, but especially in our country, where the bureaucratic processes seem designed to crush the will and dreams of anyone wanting to open a business. Entrepreneurship is incredibly difficult! Eight out of ten businesses fail within the first two years. And it's not just hard, it's lonely. It constantly tests how much you truly want that dream: if you don't have the stomach to face the world alone, it's very likely the process will fail you along the way.
What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
I was Head Chef of Hotel Casa Oaxaca for almost seven years. The owners, a German couple, constantly emphasized the importance of quality above all else. And that's a central point in our business.
What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
Harina y sal and NA’AN by chef Armando Cajero (RIP). These places were ahead of their time and were, in fact, an important part of the development of the concept that gives our space its personality today. Armando was and continues to be the shooting star that came into our lives to help us realize our dream. That's why we keep his memory alive through our work.
If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
I would invite my three great mentors to do a takeover and experiment with our flours.
– @jespergotz from @sommercanteen.dk
– @peterjespersens from @simpelsurdej
– @tgtcph from @termelo_budapest
Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
That my partner/business partner @cat.at.see.studio and I did the color palette and the remodeling work, and our oven – which is the heart of the bakery – didn't fit through the front door: we had to dismantle it and carry it with eleven people.
If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
For me it would be Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd because it explores themes of alienation, emotional disconnection, and the struggle to communicate our own feelings, which were definitely part of our process.
Answers by Rafael Andrés Villalobos Valderrama, owner and head baker at Bodæga Taller de Trigo.
