Around a Table in Guayaquil

It takes up only a few grams in the recipe, yet it is capable of breathing life into and lifting more than 120 kilograms of crushed grains transformed into flour. No one can watch it while it transforms the dough. It makes very little noise, although it needs the Artisan’s hands and attentive care in order to live. Millions of tiny living beings work slowly and silently while time fulfills its purpose.

Many of the tasks that sustain the world happen in much the same way: far from the noise, passing unnoticed, like a sourdough starter.

During the difficult days of the pandemic, when many tears quietly flowed through people’s homes, we began baking bread with the hope of bringing a little joy to every household. The oven was small and domestic. Only five tiny sweet buns could fit in each bake, and every one of them was an act of faith. In the afternoons, we walked through the neighborhood selling from door to door, wearing masks that allowed us to see little more than one another’s eyes. From that time came our slogan: “El Pan de mi Alegría” the purpose that has inspired us since 2020.

Through work, patience, and time, wheat was transformed into a renewed story that we now share with Ecuador.

Pani Nostri was born in Guayaquil, a city that learned to grow beside the river. That is why foreigners are not strangers to us. They are part of our memory. For centuries, the waters of the Guayas River connected the city with distant horizons, bringing travelers, stories, and traditions from many parts of the world. Like water, Guayaquil has always been in motion: renewed by each generation, transformed by every recipe, and continuing to move forward without forgetting its history.

There are many ways to get to know a city. Some people explore it through its streets. Others through its monuments or the places featured in travel guides. I came to know Guayaquil in a different way: around a table, with my family.

My name is Ariel Rivera, Chef at Pani Nostri. I enjoy the artisan craft because few things reveal as much about a country as what people choose to share in their homes. To me, bread remains one of the most universal languages in existence.

Bringing everyone together around the table has been our passion. There, where different voices share the same food, tourists and citizens, neighbors and people who speak different languages discover that there is an idiom everyone can understand. As long as there is a loaf fresh from the oven and a chair prepared for whoever may arrive, there is a reason to joyfully share what makes us deeply human. When bread reaches the table in Guayaquil, people find reasons to stay a little longer.

From all these experiences, Pani Nostri was born, and today it celebrates six years. If you have made your way here, you are welcome. We have prepared a place to share the bread. I hope you discover memorable recipes and flavors, a table where you can feel at home, and an excellent reason to return.

On our part, we look forward to the opportunity to meet you soon. Here, where time remains our finest ingredient.