Elite Bakery in California continues to turn up the heat, bringing the best of Chamorro food to locals living in the states.

"We established this bakery, this location, in 2012. But we originally had the bakery here in California in 1985. Our operations on Guam in Tamuning and Agat have been on the island working since 1976. So [there are] now several generations now in the baking industry in Guam and now, here and California," said Ken Villo. He and Grace Viillo Robbins are siblings running the bakery.

Villo added, “We’ve been working together because my sister and I are a great team. We try to just provide that Hafa Adai spirit and that family unity that we have been growing up with on the island to share it with everyone here in California."

The smell of island food favorites greets you at the door, where they hope to sell food that keeps the memories of home alive.

"Our bakery here was making products that you really could not find like the Guava Chiffon Cake, CHamoru empanada, buchi buchi, and manha titiyas. We alos have a whole assortment of Filipino breads...all that can bring that comfort food back to those islanders here in the Bay Area," he said. "They can come here and get a pound of kelaguen and some red rice and jus thave that take them back to when they were growing up on the island. And just enjoy those memories with their loved ones and families at the fiesta and all those things.

"That’s the service we want to provide."

As California prepares to fully reopen, they’re staying afloat.

"We are not really trying to produce where we are making profits. We transitioned our retail mostly into wholesale and doing a lot of pre-ordered items just to stay safe until all of our [seven] staff are vaccinated. We are dealing with our own precautionary measures to keep going here safe and healthy and employed during this time. We did not let anyone go. We maintained all of our staff and let them choose what directions they want to go through," said Villo.

The kitchen is keeping busy amid the various pandemic lockdowns that shuttered the state. Ken says he’s keeping the dream alive to expand across the West Coast.

"In the future if we want to expand, I love Washington state. I think it is a great area where there is a lot of CHamorus and a lot of Guamanians out there and nothing really catering to them. I think about those people all the time, you know, Oregon down to SoCal and San Diego has a huge community but no bakery so those are markets that I can see are just ready to tap into just to provide that same spirit as we do here," he said.

Until then, he says they’re focused on keeping their doors open. And has this message to share with his family on Guam: “Hafa Adai to all of the people on Guam. My love and prayers for those that are suffering through COVID during this pandemic. We follow you religiously on KUAM. We follow all of your stories.

"Shoutout to my mom and dad I love you all so much to all my brothers, sisters, family, friends, and relatives. My love and prayers always to you guys.”