EP #29 Lidia’s Living Room: Growing up at Rudy’s Strudel with Lidia Trempe

It seems like everyone knows about Rudy's Strudel. From Fat Tuesday and Dyngus Day parties to LeBron James pierogis, this 3rd generation bakery is the vibrant heartbeat of Polish Village. Under Lidia Trempe's ownership, Rudy's has honored its immigrant roots and adapted to the times, and it has also weathered its share of storms.

I spent the morning watching Lidia and her team work, hearing her seamlessly transition from Ukranian to English (with a little Polish mixed in) as customers come into her "living room," the place where she and her brother grew up and where she learned the craft of European bakery items. Lidia says it is a "privilege" to be part of her customers' lives— the happy moments and the sad ones too.

In this episode we talk about the weight of her role in her family and her community, her holiday memories, and what she hopes for her own kids.