Dedicated to the Community
On a cloudy November afternoon, I stopped in at Tota’s Bakery at 244 Utica Avenue in Brooklyn to chat with the owner. Beyond the plexiglass, I see masked staffers ladling food into containers and tying plastic bags full of baked goods. Behind a small woman manning the cash register is Aunty Indra’s grand-nephew who comes from behind the counter to take me on a brief tour of the facilities.
He leads me through the kitchen, past a man flipping roti, up the plant-lined stairs, and past the Vincentian baker sprinkling red coconut flakes onto a sheet of dough to make salara. I’m led into a small office with racks of cleaning products, appliances, and a large desk with neat stacks of papers and a persistent phone. This is where I sit with restaurant owner Indra Jainarine.
Tota’s Bakery is the longest running Guyanese family bakery and restaurant in Crown Heights, known for its baked goods - everything from cheese rolls to homemade bread - and hot food like chow mien and okra stew. Yet they are most known among late-night feters for their jerk chicken that can be seen smoking outside of the storefront in the summertime. Many would be surprised to learn that Indra makes the jerk seasoning herself.
After her husband and cooking mentor Totaram Jainarine passed away, Aunty Indra became not only the owner but “chief cook and bottle washer” as the saying goes. She cooks, trains the staff, and manages the day-to-day operations. Earlier this year, in response to the COVID 19 pandemic, she was the first business owner on the block to wrap the counter with tall plexiglass to keep her staff as well as her loyal customers safe. She also placed hand sanitizer near the cash register for customers handing over cash. Despite the multiple signs reminding you to social distance and clean your hands, you can still see the fresh-baked goods and steaming trays of stews on display.
Aunty Indra also provided meals to frontline workers at Brooklyn’s major hospitals as a sign of appreciation. “I cook and I take food to make sure that I feed the frontline workers because they’re essential.” She would also work through the night, sometimes sleeping at the bakery, to ensure that the store was properly sanitized and food properly stored to protect her customers. Indra Jainarine has more plans for Tota’s, although she hesitated to share, stating only “I always think ahead.”
Check out the video below to learn more about Tota’s history, the family’s run in with the law in Guyana, and how Tota’s continues to feed and serve the community.
Tota’s Bakery is a sponsor of the “Rant and Rave” podcast.
