Ben Manea, the co-owner and head baker of Walla Artisan Bakery and Cafe - and a man whose bread and baked good recipes have garnered a reverential following amongst Walla's many customers - has passed away.
Manea's wife and Walla co-owner Sharon Wiener announced the passing in an emailed note this morning to the Walla customer base.
"I am very sorry to have to let you know that my dear Ben passed away unexpectedly on Saturday evening. He went peacefully with me by his side. There will be a private graveside burial and no service at his request. However we will have memorial cards available at Walla to take home, and there will be a guest book there this week for leaving tributes and condolences."
"Ben had already prepared the dough for this coming week, and rather than dispose of it, his friends have decided to honor his legacy by keeping Walla open for one last week, this Tuesday to Friday (June 18 to 21), 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. They will be baking some Jewish Ryes and buns and a few other surprises daily. This will be the last opportunity to enjoy Ben’s creations."
"You are also welcome to post tributes on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/WallaArtisanBakery." (Link.)
"Your kind words, prayers and support have meant so much to us. Thank you for being part of the Walla Family."
Diagnosed with ALS in early 2018, Manea soldiered on courageously as the months went on, and Wiener stuck by his side throughout, taking on multiple roles to keep Walla open and producing the goods that had earned the bakery five-star ratings on Yelp and TripAdvisor, a 4.75-star rating at Google Reviews, and a legion of local fans.
In March of this year, as Manea's illness progressed and his motor skills decreased, Walla had apparently closed for good. But after a four-week hiatus, it would re-open, with Manea in an advisory role and new personnel creating product.
PentictonNow had the good fortune to chat with Manea just prior to Walla's March temporary closing, and found a man who, despite his battles, managed to maintain his wry sense of humour.
When asked that evening how his beloved recipes and the process to enact them first came about, he said simply, "We moved here about 20 years ago. I couldn't find good bread. So one day I decided to bake bread."
When pushed for details, Manea relented. "Flavour. It's the flavour. Everything I do here is about flavor."
"I grew up in Eastern Europe (Romania) with good food. With homemade food. And I look for balance. Food should be balanced. Too spicy, too sweet, too sour, whatever. If you taste my bread, nothing jumps out. It's like a symphony. You know everything's there, but you can't define it."
Manea's last words that day in March were telling.
"It was my mad dream to have a bakery. And I'd like to have a legacy of my bread behind me. It's very important to me."
