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Oral Histories

The SFA oral history program documents life stories from the American South. Collecting these stories, we honor the people whose labor defines the region.

ORAL HISTORY

Lionel Vatinet

La Farm Bakery

Following extensive training in his native France, Lionel Vatinet moved to the United States in 1991. For five years, Vatinet traveled the country, working to help others open new bakeries. At a trade show in Chicago, Vatinet met his future wife, Missy. Together, they opened La Farm Bakery in Cary, North Carolina, in 1999.

Vatinet and the La Farm team regularly produce 15 different styles of breads, and an additional 20 seasonal breads. Employing a three-day bread-making process and a European-style hearth oven, Vatinet ensures maximum flavor and texture. He is perhaps best known for his signature sourdough bread, a hefty five-pound boule. The Vatinets now operate three La Farm storefront locations in Cary.

Date of interview:
2018-01-12

Interviewer:
Kate Medley

Photographer:
Kate Medley

Download Transcript

“

“We deal with three ingredients: water, flour, salt. And from that, it look like not very challenging, but it is, and we learn every single day for it.” ~ Lionel Vatinet

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The Southern Foodways Alliance drives a more progressive future by leading conversations that challenge existing constructs, shape perspectives, and foster meaningful discussions. We reconsider the past with research, scrutiny, and documentation.

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