Honouring a Fellow Baker: Natale Bozzo of SanRemo Bakery
Why do we bake, or cook, or farm? Why do we get up before dawn, or work by 600 degree ovens, or in a 100 degree line kitchen? Companies love to come up with grandiose mission statements: Change the world, disrupt industries, take down the establishment. But whenever someone asks me fundamentally why we do what we do in the food industry, it’s simple. We feed people and we try to give them a great experience at the same time. There’s plenty of purpose there to go around.
No purpose has been more obvious to me, without the need for any statements, than my neighbourhood SanRemo Bakery and Cafe in Etobicoke. Go there on a Sunday morning and you’ll find crowds of people getting fresh baked bread, veal sandwiches, Italian pastries, and a little espresso to kickstart the day. It’s a magical place with great food, and the crowded market feel makes for an uplifting experience. I’m always in a great mood walking home with my loot of sandwiches and desserts. Founded in 1969 by Natale Bozzo, today SanRemo is an institution and an integral part of the Mimico and Queensway communities.
On Thursday, the Bozzo family announced on the SanRemo Bakery and Cafe’s Instagram page that Mr. Natale Bozzo had passed away after battling COVID-19 for the past 6 weeks. He was 75.
I did not know Mr. Bozzo personally, but this one hit close to home, both geographically and because baking is work that does not stop because there is a pandemic. It cannot be done remotely. Essential workers have put themselves in harm’s way throughout this pandemic and some of the hardest hit industries have been farming, food manufacturing, and distribution. For that sacrifice, and for the joy and nourishment they bring to their community, Mr. Bozo and his family have my respect.
Baking is an endeavor that is as old as farming itself. Civilizations have been built on bread. Revolutions have been fought over the people’s right to eat it. Religions view it as a metaphorical sacrament, nourishing not just the body but the soul too. Breaking bread together is making peace.
My sincere condolences go out to the Bozzo family. From one baker to another, rest in peace Mr. Natale.
*Image Credit: SanRemoBakery/Instagram