Bread.A Nature Gourmet was founded in 2006 by Brenda Hwang, a long-time vegetarian and baking enthusiast. As a young girl studying fine art in Taiwan, she found that she also had a love, and a talent, for cooking and baking. After immigrating to New York in 1978, she continued her studies in fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and in 1982 started her own company, which grew to become very successful and well respected in the garment industry.

September 11, 2001 changed her outlook on life. She volunteered for three months at Pier 24 with the Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation, assisting in the relief efforts. As a result of her experience working with people affected by the disaster, she became acutely aware of the fact that our lives are very short and uncertain. She realized that since we are only given use of our bodies for a brief period of time, and since we don’t really know when that time might expire for any one of us, it is important to do as much good as we are able, while we have the opportunity. It was then she decided that she would dedicate herself more fully to doing something good for society, rather than focusing on her own success.

Brenda had been a board member of the American Cancer Society for over 12 years, and she continued serving in that capacity. She joined the Lions Club later that year, and served as president of the Flushing Central Lions Club from 2003 to 2004. She also joined the Great Enlightenment Lotus Society Buddhist Association. Her master, and founder of the Society, Ven. , especially promoted natural and organic dietary choices and encouraged support for the organic food movement not only for its benefits to human health, but also for the welfare of animals and our environment. Brenda learned much about the principles of natural and organic food, and she knew that she wanted to do something on a grander scale to follow her master’s guidance.

During the course of her work at the American Cancer Society, Brenda regularly reviewed reports containing epidemiological data, and she noticed that a disturbing pattern had become evident. The figures showed that over the years, cancer was being diagnosed in greater numbers of progressively younger people. She became interested in this phenomenon and began to inquire into what it might be attributed to. Based on her observations over time, her understanding of the relevant research, discussions with experts, and a new awareness of modern food industry and environmental issues, Brenda concluded that the increasing rates of cancer and other chronic diseases in modern society seem correlated to the trends of increasingly unnatural and unbalanced agricultural and food production methods and dietary and living habits of people, as well as the ever-worsening problem of environmental pollution and degradation.

Since Brenda felt inspired to do something better for society and to follow in her master’s footsteps, and given her interests, knowledge, and skills, an organic vegetarian bakery and cafe was the “natural” choice of a project to undertake, and Bread.A Nature Gourmet became her vision. All of the food, breads, cakes, cookies, and other delights are freshly made every day according to Brenda’s own recipes. Each product is created with a concern for health, humanity, and our environment. Brenda feels very lucky to have an excellent team working with her. She is especially grateful to her chef, who came from Hong Kong with more than twenty years baking experience. All other staff members are also vegetarian and are happy to be serving healthier food. All feel that doing such work is helping to create good karma for themselves and others.

Honesty and Trust | Help One Another | Appreciation and Gratitude

These are the guiding principles of Bread.A Nature Gourmet. Our business is like our family. Our aim is to offer the finest quality, most healthful, compassionate, responsible, and most delicious food and baked goods possible at affordable prices. Our higher mission is to contribute in some way toward the elevation of human consciousness, refinement of culture, and the evolution of a universe in which all beings can be free and happy.

We invite you to join us so we can help one another create this beautiful dream.