Mexico Has No Bread Culture? The Internet Disagrees with This British Baker

By  Sandra Lopez

Pan de mexico

Credit: AP Photos

Dreams of opening the “best bakery in Mexico” is a tall goal, but when it comes by way of criticizing Mexican bread and bakery culture, the dream takes on a different meaning.

British baker and author, Richard Hart, who owns Green Rhino Bakery in Mexico City, is in the middle of controversy due to an interview where he candidly shared his goal of opening the best bakery in Mexico. 

@terrorrestaurantesmx

Segun Richard Hart de Green Rhino, en México no hay una cultura del pan. Pero el salvador blanco europeo ya está aquí para solucionar eso ☠️

♬ original sound – Terror Restaurantes MX

“I’m going to open the best bakery in Mexico City,” says Hart, adding “because they don’t really have much of a bread culture. They make tortas on these white, ugly rolls that are pretty cheap and industrially made.” 

The internet swiftly clapped back, condemning his comments with education and humor. 

@cboothang posted a video, saying “Mexico has over 1,000+ varieties of pan dulce alone— to say we lack bread culture is to overlook centuries of living gastronomy.” 

@cboothang

Richard Hart is a baker from Britain who chose to open a business in Mexico City Mexico City is already deeply affected by gentrification. When someone from abroad chooses to build a business here and profit from Mexican culture, there’s a responsibility to approach it with humility and respect. If Mexico welcomes you and your business profits from Mexican people, the bare minimum is respect for the country’s existing food culture. Mexico does not lack bread culture — it has thousands of varieties, and centuries of tradition Learning from a culture is very different from speaking over it For centuries, Mexico has faced outsiders arriving and attempting to redefine or profit from our culture lo mas importante, es el respeto #richardhart #quechingaotepasa #cboothang #cboothangcooks #bolillo

♬ original sound – cboothang

In addition to historical contexts including references to Mexican pan in music, content creators are also calling out Hart’s disrespectful comments as a foreigner who has opened a bakery in Mexico, calling his commentary an act of colonization, and instead highlighting local bakeries in Mexico and their diverse pan offerings. 

Mexican bread holds a prominent place in Mexico’s socio-cultural fabric. 

The consumption of bread varies based on region, culture, and tradition, with recipes that have been passed down through generations. According to Mexico News Daily, regional diversity within Mexico further enriches Pan tradition, “In Yucatán, you might find pan mamul; in Michoacán, pan de flor; in Guanajuato, acambaritas; and in Tlaxcala, pan de pulque. These variations showcase how local ingredients and cultural influences create a vibrant mosaic of flavors and forms, making Mexican pan dulce a culinary national treasure.”

Since the interview audio leaked, White Rhino Bakery has issued an apology on their Instagram page, stating “I have listened to conversations on social media and I have read your messages, and I want to offer a sincere apology, I made a mistake and I deeply regret it.” 

Bakery Mexico viral