Pastry Chef Gianina Serrano Pivots Kitchen, Remains Hopeful for Mutual Aid
By Maddie Scher
Gianina Serrano is chef and owner of Sixth Course, a dessert boutique in the Mission. Serrano has been cooking since her late teens, always working with restaurants in some capacity, from hostessing to preparing salads, and invested in her passion while studying culinary arts and hospitality at City College of San Francisco. She has continued training throughout her career at the French Pastry School in Chicago and other workshops with a focus on pastry. With most time spent in fine dining and luxury hotels, Serrano felt it was time to pursue her own endeavor, starting simple with chocolates and a vision of something casual. She had so much support from friends and family in the industry that the company grew faster than expected, and she started using a commercial kitchen and selling at pop-ups, sharing her love for pastry throughout the city. In October 2014, the brick and mortar Sixth Course was completed. Walk into Sixth Course and you will find truffle-inspired lights, sea glass tile, elegant cases displaying a sophisticated and playful set of sweets, and an exhibition window to see the delicate sweets made. As Serrano describes, Sixth Course is “is a play on fine dining style desserts in a casual setting.”
Gianina Serrano and Assistant, Agnes Hardenstine sort produce. Photos by Molly DeCoudreaux.
On March 19, 2020 Governor Gavin Newsom announced a statewide order to shelter at home, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. By March 22, San Francisco passed 100 cases. By April 15, the number multiplied tenfold to 1,000 cases. As the reality of the pandemic hit, Serrano's longtime friend Kim Alter of the restaurant Nightbird called to ask, ‘Would you be down to possibly pivot your kitchen? I don't know if it's going through but we're trying to put it together. If you could do 600-1000 meals in a week, would you be able do it?’
Serrano explains, “In the middle of melt down mode, processing perishables, managing overhead and everything else on the list with an indefinite shut down, the idea of a meal program was a welcome relief. But more than that, it was incredibly helpful & hopeful that something was being put together to help small businesses & our communities in tandem.”
A street view into Sixth Course’s window.
Born and raised in San Francisco, Serrano knew that she could rely on her community of caretakers and doers to come together in mutual aid:
“What helps keep me calm in all the panic, stress and the overwhelming anxiety of this uncertainty is how confident I feel within the infrastructure of San Francisco. Not just as a native with family and friends, but within this industry as a whole and how we connect. There were dozens and dozens of phone calls, emails, social media messages just asking, ‘how are you doing, what do you need, how can I help?’”
Serrano was also acutely aware of the impact the pandemic was having on the Latino community, houseless, and food insecure residents of the Mission, as well as those homebound as a result of the virus. “We are located at 15th and Capp Street, in a high density housing area overlapping industrial areas which also includes shelters, transition centers and single room occupancy housing” she explains. Within her own shop, Serrano needed a way to support the small staff who relied on Sixth Course for income. “I was freaking out about how I was going to get us through this and keep food on everyone's table… and just how long this closure would really last for.”
Serrano notes that SF New Deal “came at just the right time...Helping our restaurant and neighbors but also helping communities throughout all of San Francisco. Keeping everyone afloat and making sure we have a fighting chance to get through it.” At this point in mid January, over 26,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in San Francisco alone, and the number of small businesses closing as a result is ever rising. Sixth Course has continued to participate in our programs, making 18,900 meals over 43 weeks for recipients at congregate housing sites throughout the city and through our Community Based Organization partnerships. Serrano notes of SF New Deal, “It's been a lifesaver for my tiny shop.” She also recognizes how chefs like her are uniquely qualified to meet the needs of San Franciscans during the COVID-19 Crisis:
“For people who are used to working 24/7, it's jarring to not have anything to do. Being able to use our kitchens to still cook daily keeps me incredibly grateful to these nonprofits who have arranged themselves to help our industry pivot. It's even more assuring to know that the governor and mayor are backing this up to do better for the people around us, adding security to what we are doing.”
Serrano and Hardenstine close boxes of prepared meals for SF New Deal.
For Serrano, there is some optimism in making space for community feeding amongst her chocolate tempering machines:
“At the end of the day there are always makers, creators, workers, organizers, helpers, problem solvers and just everyday people who really, really care. That network operates tirelessly so we can just maintain. Neighbors walking the blocks to check on other neighbors and sharing information, food and resources. It keeps my heart full. We will only get through by helping each other. Honestly, that's what comforts my sleep most nights, but more than that, it's what gets me out of bed these days.”
Order handmade truffles and more from Sixth Course by visiting sixthcourse.com and follow their ever changing selection on Instagram @sixthcoursesf.