Farmer's Market Vendors

A year after Eric Sartenaer left the Cheeseboard Collective and Carole Sartenaer left her music career, they both started their first business, Semifreddi’s, in Kensington in 1987. A few years after that they opened up Alpine Bakery in Oregon. The Phoenix Pastificio opened in 1995 and started as a vendor at the  Berkeley Farmers’ Markets in 2000, serving over 100 restaurants/stores throughout the Bay Area. 

Today, ownership of the business has been transferred to the family who has passionately managed the kitchen operations for over 23 years: Eloy Perez Gonzalez, Letitia Santiago Vasquez, and their children, namely Pedro who is pictured above and you’ll typically see vending for them at all 3 Berkeley Farmers’ Markets. The company currently has 11 employees, and they sell their products out of their storefront on Addison Street, in wholesale to restaurants, by pre-order for delivery, at numerous local markets and at more than 10 farmers markets throughout the week. As head of inventory, Pedro prioritizes local organic ingredients, primarily sourcing from Berkeley Bowl and farmers markets, as well as Chefs Warehouse and Central Milling for wholesale ingredients. 

One of Pedro’s favorite parts about the job is getting to work and cook with his family. To this day Pedro and his father are the only two people that know the secret pasta recipe! They make all of the pasta themselves and hope to keep the secret in the family forever!