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By Bread Alone

North Bergen baker uses Old World knowledge to conquer the New World

BY MARK J. BONAMO

As the bread rises daily in Mariusz Kolodziej's bakery, so do his fortunes. For 14 years, the Polish immigrant has served as president of Hudson Bread, a North Bergen-based artisan bakery that creates over 350 different kinds of bread daily. Our Meadowlands spoke to the man who uses 50,000 pounds of flour a day as he combines centuries-old techniques and modern technology.

How did you become a baker?

Two business in this country do extremely well: basic food and real estate. I started in real estate, then bought this business, which was a one man operation based in a garage in Jersey City. My father was a baker in Poland, and when he came to visit me, I knew that he knew what to do. I figured I would see what I could do with this. Now we operate 24 hours a day.

You are graduate of Poland's naval academy as well as law school. How did these experiences train you to run a bakery?

This building is a ship. Every ship needs only one captain. It's the same thing with a business. If you have two captains you have a mess. If you have one, you can direct things the right way and succeed.

The naval academy taught me the discipline that I needed in life, while the law gave me knowledge about administration, including ultimately how to run and develop a business.

What makes bread produced at an artisan bakery different from bread produced at another type of bakery?

The difference is that we use only natural ingredients, make everything here and have a mix of many different baking traditions. One of my managers is from Italy. Another is from Germany. They've studied the art of baking in France, and traveled all over Europe. There is also constant development of our products. We sell to the best chefs in New York. The chef at the Four Seasons. So this business is like shark. If a shark stops moving, it's dead.

A global wheat shortage has led to the cost of flour going up dramatcally. How do you handle the price rise?

Our bakery uses very advanced technology. I brought a lot of equipment in from Europe that helps cut down on waste and inefficiency. Everything is computerized. This way, we don't waste time and ingredients while still maintaining the quality and the flavor of the product.

Based on your life experience, which smells better to you: the ocean breeze or fresh-baked bread?

If you have dinner on the beach, you can have the breeze and fresh bread at the same time. But if I have the choice to be out on a boat or at my bakery, I would rather be at the bakery. There is a constant action here. Being on the ocean is hobby for me. But at work, you can create a name for your company and for yourself. Being an immigrant makes me work twice as hard, even more . This is totally different country, but the most beautiful one to me. You can whatever you want here. You can succeed.