Sad/happy news to report from Placentia: Roland Rubalcava, the man behind the extraordinary Rubalcava's Bakery, has just signed the paperwork that legalizes what he's been whispering to us for a while: his family is selling the bakery where you could buy OC's best flour tortillas, bolillos, and a bevy of magnificent food. The bakery will remain, but not with his recipes and under a new name.
The Rubalcava's are selling for a good reason: all the kids are moving in directions away from running a store, and in Roland's case, that means he wants to prep himself to open his own restaurant by this time next year. But before he does that, Roland wants to get back into the heat of the kitchen as a line cook, as a chopper of onions–as whatever.
Culinary OC: meet your best culinary free agent. No pinche Pujols here.
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The great thing with Roland is that there's no ego in him even though he went to culinary school, even though he had his own spot: he wants to get back into the groove, and he understands he needs to start from the bottom to reach the top. Why, we saw him at Taco Maria's soft opening doing his epic handmade corn tortillas and watching over chef Carlos Salgado's magnificent salsa de aceite, even though Rubalcava has his own fiery version. He plans to moonlight at the places of other pals as well, for pittance, until he gets a more-regular gig. Brother wants to work, period.
Interested? Let me know, and I'll pass the message along. And Roland? Go get 'em, broder.
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