"He's been working at Heidi's for 55 years, as long as the restaurant has been around. "This oven is ancient," said Caamal as he loads pies into the huge oven. "It's older than me." Caamal started working at Heidi's Pies when he was 18 Victor after emigrating from Mexico. He's 74 now but it doesn't show. If he's not in the freezer grabbing pie shells, he's preparing the fillings or manning the oven."
"Heidi's makes up to 150 pies a day. For Thanksgiving, they'll make close to 6,000. The restaurant closes its kitchen on Wednesday and Thursday to prepare for the rush. The lines to buy pie will go around the block. Victor has to work on overdrive, as do his brothers who also work at Heidi's. "I have to sleep over here a little bit while I am waiting for my pies to get done. It's tiring, 24 hours of work for two days in a row,""
"All the different varieties of pies take different times to bake. Pecan pie takes 45 minutes, pumpkin 1.15 hours. Victor has to keep track of it all without the use of a time, which broke down long ago. He juggles all the baking times in his head. That's up to 120 pies rotating on six racks. The pies are just one part of Heidi's success -- the other is family."
Heidi's Pies in San Mateo offers 30 pie flavors and prepares up to 150 pies daily, increasing to nearly 6,000 for Thanksgiving. Victor Caamal, 74, started at age 18 after emigrating from Mexico and has worked there 55 years. An antique oven and a broken timer require Caamal to monitor up to 120 pies mentally across six racks. The restaurant closes its kitchen two days to prepare, producing long lines and intense work shifts that include family members sleeping at the shop. Servers and staff often describe the workplace as a family.
Read at ABC7 San Francisco
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