Zend Zend, the man behind the counter at Mumbai’s iconic Yazdani bakery, dies

Zend Zend, a Mumbaiite of Iranian origin born in the city and best known for running its iconic Yazdani bakery, died on Sunday

Zend Zend, a Mumbaiite of Iranian origin born in the city and best known for running its iconic Yazdani bakery, died on Sunday. He was 86.

Zend’s biggest legacy, says actor and food writer Vijayakar, is that the bakery he inherited (above) is still thriving when many old eateries have either shut or are struggling. (HT Archive)

Zend Zend began working at the Fort eatery — started by his father Meherwan Zend — when he was 17.

“He was making German-style loaves way before any of artisanal or home bakers were,” said food anthropologist and archaeologist Kurush Dalal. “He was perhaps one of the first bakers in the city to go beyond brun, laadi pav and sliced bread. His apple pie was delicious. Zend was loud, opinionated, brash, but also very honest and a baker par excellence.”

Actor and food writer Kunal Vijayakar remembers him as a handsome gentleman who would often visit the National Centre for the Performing Arts, where Vijayakar often performs. When the play Unfaithful was being staged there, co-starring Perizaad Zorabian, “I would see this gentleman attend often, Vijayakar says. “He would also come backstage to say hello to Perizaad.”

Zend’s biggest legacy, Vijayakar adds, is that the bakery he inherited is still thriving in a time when many old eateries and the majority of Irani cafes have either shut or are struggling to survive amid changing demographics, gentrification and heightened competition.

“The Yazdani family shaped the bakery culture in Mumbai,” says Pooja Dhingra, founder of the Le 15 chain of patisserie and cafes. “Zend was a big proponent of using fewer chemicals, softners and preservatives in his food. His passion for bread and baking was unmatched.”

“Even suffering from Parkinson’s disease, Zend would come to the restaurant for a few hours every day,” says Kalyan Karmakar, a food writer and brand consultant who also conducts heritage walks in the Fort area. “Despite the physical difficulties, he would stand, greet his guests. He always made everyone feel welcomed to Mumbai.”