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ORAL HISTORY

José Castillo

Norma’s Sweets Bakery

Norma’s Bakery is a neighborhood grocery offering traditional breads and Latin American hot plate meals. Their Cubano sandwiches and signature king cakes have drawn a steady following in and beyond the local Latin American community. The New Orleans store that José operates is the second location of the original Norma’s Bakery that his mother, Norma Castillo, founded in Kenner, Louisiana. José, a plumber by training, left his career to help his mother run her growing business.

José was born in Honduras and moved with his family to New Orleans’ Gentilly neighborhood when he was three years old. He learned about king cakes during Mardi Gras class parties in elementary school. At Norma’s, José has overseen the creation of several king cakes that feature fruits native to Honduras. The guava–and–cream cheese variety, arguably the most popular, was profiled in a 2022 New York Times article. José is proud of the way Norma’s king cake has taken off, but he doesn’t want a seasonal specialty to overshadow the bakery’s purpose of serving the families and laborers who stop by every day. At lunch time, he can usually be found sharing a meal with the store’s many regular customers.