bakingbuyer - May 2011 - (Page 51)

When Dunia Borga, pastry chef and co-owner of La Duni, invites customers to try her pastries, she is, in a way, inviting them into her home. by Anna Comstock In Latin America, homes are traditionally named after the woman of the household. That’s why, after Dunia Borga and her husband Espartaco Borga threw around dozens of names for their new restaurant, none seemed to fit as well as “La Duni.” After all, their Dallas, Texas-based restaurant was going to be a reflection of their upbringings—Dunia’s in Colombia and Espartaco’s between Europe and Latin America—so it was only fitting. After meeting in Los Angeles, Dunia and Espartaco eventually married and settled in Dallas. And Espartaco, a long time restauranteur and night club owner, is the reason Dunia became a pastry chef. “I was actually studying to become a child psychologist, but he convinced me to take a baking course,” Borga says. “He told me that I would come home so broken after certain cases, but that my eyes would always light up anytime I baked. He wanted me to do something that brought me joy instead of sorrow, and here I am today.” Run by Espartaco, who heads up the kitchen, and Dunia, who maintains her role as pastry chef, La Duni has grown to four locations across Dallas in its ten years of existence. And the Borga’s love for one another has blossomed right along with it. “We’ve been together for 25 years. He’s my inspiration,” Borga says. “And hopefully he will be with me when we’re really old, holding my hand crossing the street.” what you would have if you ate what mom or grandma made at somebody’s home.” But the concept of “home” soon took on a whole new meaning for Borga and her husband. “I found out I was pregnant just after we signed the lease, so my belly was growing as the restaurant was being built,” Borga says. “We waited one month after he was born to open to the public. Brandon grew up on my pastry table.” Using her hands to mix ingredients and her legs to rock her son’s carrier, Borga managed to keep up with both of her roles—pastry chef and mom. “I remember one time in particular that we were short a hostess, so I had to seat customers with a baby strapped to my chest,” Borga says. “I was so nervous people would just turn around and leave when they saw me, but they actually took it so well it was amazing. It really was like Expanding the Family When La Duni opened ten years ago, the Borga’s vision was to create a welcoming café that serves homecooked, Latin American comfort foods. “We wanted to serve foods that we love—foods that we grew up with,” Borga says. “What we serve is MAY 11 · BAKING BUYER · 51 Photography by Ian Neal Cole, Inc Commercial Pictures

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of bakingbuyer - May 2011

bakingbuyer - May 2011
EDITOR’S NOTE - The Bakery Showman
CONTENTS
INDUSTRY NEWS
APC/Crisco National Pie Championships
Caravan Launches New Website
National Honey Board Offers Bakery Formulas
Cake Boss Joins Get Back to Scratch
The Baking Channel
Preferment Primer
Birth of the Slider
Team USA Profile
Extremem Cakes
Macaroon Sushi
Think Outside the Bakery
Chocolate Mousse: Tips & Techniques
Get your Grill on
Effective E-Newsletters
"The Greatest Show on Earth"
Welcome Home
Getting to Know You
Brandon’s Cookies
Re-Cakes
Lessons Learned
Wedding Statistics
Efficiency in Motion
Syrups vs. Grounds
FEATURED PRODUCTS
PRODUCT SHOWCASE
MARKETPLACE NETWORK
AD INDEX
Baker's Dozen

bakingbuyer - May 2011