By Mary O’KEEFE

Raul Porto Sr. died on May 22; he was 92 years old. Raul, with his wife, was a founder of the very popular Porto’s Bakery & Café found throughout the southland.

Raul immigrated to the U.S. with his family from Cuba in 1971 to escape Fidel Castro’s rule.

“Before Castro, people lived a regular life,” said Beatriz “Betty” Porto (Raul and Rosa’s daughter) in an interview with CVW.

Raul and his wife Rosa were living a happy, middle class life prior to Castro’s Communist takeover; however, everything changed when he came into power.
Raul was sent to a mandatory labor camp and Rosa lost her job. Raul was only allowed to visit home on some weekends. Rosa began selling her baked goods to help support her family.

“We left Cuba legally,” Betty said. “My family had to put up money for the Freedom Flight program and we got out in 1971.”

The first stop for the Portos was in Miami, which was the first stop for the majority of people emigrating at the time from Cuba. They went through the screening process and then headed to California.

“We had friends and family in California,” she said.

Raul immediately began taking English lessons and attended school. He soon found part time work at Van de Kamp’s Bakery. The company had a system back then that workers would start as part time, working for over a year and then would be offered full time employment. Raul would work for 10 to 12 hours then would get called back to work. Displaying a strong work ethic he was offered a full time position, Betty said.

Rosa went to Van de Kamp’s as well to find work but purposely failed every test; she wanted to stay home and continue baking. Porto’s Bakery was started in her home and soon her cottage industry outgrew her home.

“We ran out of space,” Betty said.

They moved in 1976 into a 600-square-foot building on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park. Raul quit his job at Van de Kamp’s in 1980 to help the family full time with Porto’s.

Rosa and Raul were partners; Rosa was the baker and Raul took care of the front with sales and going to the market for supplies, Betty said. This partnership worked well because each of them had their own expertise. Soon Betty joined her father to help at the front of the house.

When asked if her parents realized how successful Porto’s was becoming Betty said they were both working so hard they didn’t have time to think about that. However, what they did prioritize was family. The idea of family was broad: those who moved up the ranks to operate and expand Porto’s, the family of employees, and the family of customers.

Both Rosa and Raul retired and watched as their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren moved the bakery forward, which now has expanded to six locations.

“When we [children] came on board and really went through a growth period, [my parents] were very proud,” Betty said.

Betty described her mom and dad as generous and loving.

“My mom was all about the food,” she said.

She was always baking and cooking for her family; she loved her grandchildren and loved spoiling them.

Her dad was “very generous.”

“He would do the shopping for all of us,” she said.

This was something he had done in Cuba as well; he would make sure there were plenty of supplies and her mother would cook and share with the family.
“I think I want to remember [my dad] as a family man and a grandfather,” said Betty. “He was a generous man who helped so many friends and family – not just in the U.S. but also in Cuba.”

The foundation of the importance of family and giving support created by Raul and Rosa continues in every aspect of Porto’s today. The family is generous to their community and has customers who are considered part of their family.