The story of Gerald Matthes is one of thanks and giving and baking bread.

It begins years ago in a small village in Germany. And it continues this afternoon when families across Rochester and beyond serve the dinner rolls and croissants and challah bread that were made with care this week inside Matthes' Give Thanks Bakery and Cafe.

The artisan bakery is an emblem in downtown Rochester of the spirit of Thanksgiving across America--the focus on food and fellowship and on thankfulness for one another and for homemade goods.

This is how it came to be.

Germany, 1985

Matthes, the descendent of a family of German bakers, traveled from the United States to Germany for a business trip that year. He took with him a photograph of an old bakery owned by his ancestors. Armed with only this photograph, and with the help of the locals, he soon located the former bakery--still intact, but with a new roof and scheduled to be changed into flats in just five days.

Walking through the rubble in the attic of the old building, Matthes literally stumbled upon his ancestors' Gothic German prayer book, which, when taken to the Stuttgart Museum some time later, was discovered to be a treasure more than 200 years old.

Matthes soon learned that this bakery represented a tradition that migrated to England and became a franchise of more than 33 outlets, and when he returned to America, he knew what he had to do. He learned all he could about baking at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. He interned with chefs and attended courses at the National Baking Center in Minneapolis.

When he opened Give Thanks in Rocheser in 1997, some news outlets covered the opening and Matthes began receiving letters from all over the world from distant relatives or from those who had worked at his ancestorsʼ bakeries.

The cafe is one of the few bakeries left in the Midwest that bakes its bread over a three-day period without the use of yeast. This old-world style of bread does not harden as quickly because of the natural fermentation process, making a fresher, more complex-flavored bread that stays fresh longer.

Giving thanks, every day

The story behind the name Give Thanks is about living a lifestyle that exudes what we celebrate once a year on Thanksgiving. Matthes is emphatic about the name being essential to the mission of the bakery.

"We try to make sure that when people leave, they feel more affirmed and encouraged," he said. "Itʼs not about evangelizing, but showing Godʼs love. When Christ took bread, he did three things: gave thanks, broke the bread and shared it with his friends.

"We believe that giving thanks should be the first thing for us, too."

This year, the business had more than 100 orders for Thanksgiving. They do not mass-produce anything, but giver personal attention to each baked item and are  careful to keep with the three-day process. Matthes described how the staff is selected carefully based on their abilities to exude and practice hospitality.

"Everybody has their own way of saying thank you for coming by. One of our team members is called ʻGrandma Cookie,ʼ and she always gives hugs," said Matthes."When I started the business, I was careful to surround myself with the best team." 

That team consists of Rick Michels, Sandy Neizguski, Carole Carroll, Chris Wilder, Cheryl Bostick, and Jen Stevens. All are certified pastry or Veinoisserie Chefs. He asks this: that each customer feel accepted when they enter the bakery and uplifted when they leave. Hospitality and knowing customers by name is a key part of that.

"In todayʼs world, itʼs sad when you go to a store and itʼs all about whose ʻnextʼ in line. Thereʼs no eye contact, no personal connection, just a ʻnextʼ--literally," said Matthes. "Giving thanks for the gift of food and bread, as well as company, is about appreciating the individual."