Yoli Tortilleria’s grind to “honor the very humble tortilla” earns James Beard Award
June 6, 2023 | Madeline Fox
Editor’s note: The following story was originally published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter.
[divide]
Yoli Tortilleria, a Mexican tortilla bakery with a retail store on Jefferson Street on Kansas City’s Westside and a manufacturing location on Bell Street, won the 2023 James Beard Award for Outstanding Bakery — one of the most prestigious honors in the American food industry.
The Westside tortilla bakery beat out two bakeshops in North Texas, an Italian bakery in New Orleans and a Miami bread maker.
Marissa Gencarelli, Yoli Tortilleria, wins Outstanding Bakery at the 2023 James Beard Restaurant And Chef Awards at Lyric Opera Of Chicago; photo by Jeff Schear, Getty Images for The James Beard Foundation
Owner Marissa Gencarelli said in her acceptance speech Monday that the tortilleria opened when she was still grieving the loss of her parents.
“Baking became our therapy, a way to connect and honor my ancestors in the middle of North America,” she said. “Thank you for the opportunity, and thank you for helping us honor the very humble tortilla.”
Gencarelli offered “gracias totales” to the James Beard Foundation, bakery employees, family and “Our city, Kansas City — without you, we would not be here.”
Last year, Yoli and its owners — Marissa and Mark Gencarelli — made it to the semifinals in the Outstanding Baker category, making history as the first tortilla bakery nominated for any James Beard Award.
When she spoke to KCUR in March about the bakery’s nomination as one of five finalists, Gencarelli said she was honored that her small business was recognized.
“I have a little kid and I always read ‘The Little Engine That Could,’ and we always feel like the little Mexican engine that could,” she said. “So, you know, it’s always going forward and just working as hard as we can.”
Yoli Tortilleria beat out Angelo Brocato Ice Cream & Confectionery in New Orleans, La Casita Bakeshop in Richardson, Texas, Kuluntu Bakery in Dallas, and Zak the Baker in Miami to take home the honor.
Click here to read more about Yoli Tortilleria from Startland News.
2023 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Kansas City named a top tech locale
Kansas City again was touted as a top tech destination. Tech publication PC Magazine recently named Kansas City as one of “13 high-tech cities you’ll want to call home.” The magazine noted Kansas City’s access to Google Fiber, its low cost of living and communities such as the Kansas City Startup Village as reasons to…
Flow Forward Medical raises additional $1.3M
Flow Forward Medical boosted its latest funding round to further develop its device that helps improve outcomes for hemodialysis patients. The Olathe-based company closed a $1.3 million round of additional Series A financing led by the Kansas Bioscience Authority. Flow Forward previously raised $4.4 million, bringing its total funding raised to date to about $5.7 million.…
Schukman: 5 reasons why KC is the capital of social entrepreneurship
Take a walk in Kansas City’s startup scene and you’ll quickly hear something about KC’s devotion to becoming America’s most entrepreneurial city. This mantra is on everyone’s lips, from city leaders to corporate tycoons to scrappy startup founders. It’s amazing that in five years our city has created such clarity of purpose that millenials populating…
KC Digital Drive creates lab to test drive gigabit apps
Ever since Google Fiber announced Kansas City as its first fiber project, techies across the nation have wondered how gigabit Internet will shape a new wave of innovation and how the city would tap its new infrastructure. And thanks to a new KC Digital Drive initiative, Kansas Citians may have an up-close look at the…