British Baker Sparks Outrage After Calling Mexican Bread ‘Ugly’ and ‘Pretty Cheap’

NEED TO KNOW

• British baker Richard Hart has apologized after his comments about Mexican bread last April resurfaced.

• The baker is the co-founder of the Green Rhino bakery in Mexico City

• Hart, whose Instagram account is currently private, apologized on the platform on Monday, December 15.

Richard Hart has apologized after his comments about Mexican bread in April resurfaced.

The British baker, co-founder of the Green Rhino bakery in Mexico City, was vocal in his criticism of Mexican bread on the market. Radio PopFoodie podcast.

During the podcast, Hart said the country’s wheat was “not good” – expressing that they “don’t have a big wheat crop and what they’re using is completely highly processed, full of additives, full of dough reinforcers and stuff, and that’s not the type of wheat I want to use.”

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Speaking further about bread in Mexico, Hart said the country “doesn’t really have a bread culture. tortas on these ugly white buns, rather cheap and industrially produced. “Tortas are sandwiches made from bowlsor Mexican sandwich rolls.

Hart has since apologized via a post on the Green Rhino bakery’s Instagram account.

“Regarding the comments I made about Mexican bread culture, I heard the conversation on social media and read your messages. I want to offer a clear and sincere apology. I was wrong and I deeply regret it,” his apology began.

“Since moving to Mexico, I have fallen in love with the people and this city. However, my words did not reflect that respect: in this country I am a guest and I forgot to act like one,” Hart continued.

“I made a mistake,” added Hart – whose personal Instagram account is currently private. “I deeply regret it.”

He concluded: “I do not expect an apology to erase the offense caused, but I want to take responsibility to learn and correct my mistakes. From now on, my priority will be to listen more and speak less. My commitment is to demonstrate through actions, not just words, the respect that Mexican culture deserves. I will learn from this unfortunate experience and strive to do better every day.”

Hart and Green Rhino Bakery did not respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.

Hart’s comments received backlash immediately after they began resurfacing on TikTok, Instagram, and X.

“He offended Mexico’s baking community and all Mexicans who love bread, which is almost everyone,” Daniela Delgado, a student at the University of Mexico, told the AP. “If you want to be part of Mexican culture by owning a restaurant or bakery, you need to educate yourself.”

Josué Martínez, chef of the Mexican Culinary School, saw it as an opportunity to have an open discussion about Mexican pastry.

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“This is an opportunity to experience Mexican baking and pastry culture, to be proud of it, to highlight the richness of our ingredients and to stop thinking that the so-called first world represents the ultimate standard,” he told the outlet.

Read the original article on People