Jesse Nunez on Family Inspiration

When Jesse Nunez reflects on his heritage, it’s family that comes to mind. You could say his passion for food runs in his blood.

“She said he was handsome and reminded her of a famous Mexican actor,” said Jesse, as he recalls his grandmother, Belia’s story about the first time she met his grandfather, Pomposo. They met in Mexico City where Pomposo worked in his family’s bakery. After they were married, they settled in El Paso, Texas.

?“My grandfather worked at a local bakery called National Bakery. They made European breads, pastries and desserts. By 1962, my grandparents had saved enough money to open their own bakery in a small retail space on the corner of a busy intersection. They called it Supreme Bakery. Six years later, business was good and they moved to a bigger location.”

Jesse was nine years old when he started working in his grandparents’ bakery. He joked that his mom Rosa gave him permission to hang out with her parents, knowing it would only benefit him. “I would clean trays, grease pans and sweep the floors. It wasn’t glamorous. I just wanted to spend time with my grandparents. Every evening, I’d help them close the bakery. Then, I’d sit between them in my grandfather’s 1972 Chevrolet pickup truck. They would speak Spanish, talking about the day’s events. That’s where I learned to speak some Spanish. Those drives home were my favorite part of the day.”

By age 13, Jesse took on more responsibility in the bakery, learning from his grandparents and uncles. “I operated a 36-pan oven and helped produce different breads. I also began decorating, thanks to my uncles’ encouragement. One of our specialty desserts were cream puffs, which we filled with whipped cream made by Rich’s ‘The Blue Can!’”

As time went on, business continued to grow and soon the bakery employed many of Jesse’s family members, some part time, others full time. During the 1980s, things started to change. “My uncles branched out and opened their own bakeries. Some of my other family members went to manage our local grocer’s in-store bakery. In 1986, ALS took my grandfather from us and a year later, I joined the Army.”

By 1995, five members of Jesse’s family were all working for bakery manufacturers. Jesse started at JW Allen, now owned by Rich Products, moving around over the years, until joining Rich’s in 2018. Jesse is now a technical counselor on Rich’s culinary team helping to train cake decorators for customers. His passion for food, rooted in a deep history of hard work, sacrifice, love and family, shows up every day.

While Jesse’s beloved grandparents have passed, the business they founded carries on.

“Supreme Bakery is still open and operated by two of my uncles. In the office still hang pictures of my grandparents – the two people whose life work shaped mine and molded us into the loving family we are today.”