Bob Sferra remembers his first Pride celebration. It was 1989, he was “barely out,” and the LGBT center was in a basement of the Ohio City area now known as Hingetown.

“In 1989, everything was about being undercover: a hidden Pride march and with AIDS crisis people were afraid of coming out. Now, in 2022, there were thousands of people downtown. The difference is so monumental and as the openness and acceptance and fight for more inclusion goes on, it makes you feel so incredibly proud.

“This great progress has come on the backs of so many people in Cleveland who have made this happen.”

Count the café owner and caterer among those who have made this happen. Sferra is too modest to boast, but his influence on the local LGBTQ+ community has been transformative.

Since attending his first Pride all those years ago, Sferra has spent countless hours volunteering at the center, including two terms as president since 2008. He established the Sferra Legacy Fund for youth initiatives, and he and husband Matt Walsh donated $50,000 for the Gordon Square center’s kitchen.

Over the years, he has raised more than $350,000 for LGBTQ+ causes, and during the Gay Games in 2014, donated more than 2,000 meals to volunteers. In 2015, Sferra competed in the “Accelerate 2015: A new model for change” pitch competition sponsored by Bernie Moreno and the Cleveland Leadership Center, earning $5,000 he donated.

“Why would I not give back?” he notes. “I have always been accepted. I have a good life and career, I have enough money. It’s time for me to give back.”

He did all of this while owning and operating a full-time catering business, and now a café, too.

In May, Sferra opened Sophie La Gourmande pâtissiere at 2275–2277 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.

“I always wanted a patisserie,” says Sferra, who jokes that he began his career in the culinary world in eighth grade as a dishwasher in Youngstown, where he grew up in an Italian-American family that loved to cook, and eat.

But although food was always a love, it wasn’t a career until a few years after college. He studied at John Carroll University and got a job in marketing after graduating.

“I realized it wasn’t for me.”

In 1990, he took a job with a caterer. Not only was it a chance to explore his love of culinary arts; the field was also much more gay-friendly than the business world.

“There was a presence. People were able to be themselves in food service in the ’80s and ‘90s.”

Sferra honed his skills on the job, and eventually studied at the French Culinary Institute in New York, later enrolling in a month-long baking program in France.

Eventually, he got tired of working for other people.

“After about 10 requests from people, I thought ‘maybe I should just do this on my own.”

So, he did. In 2009, Sferra launched Culinary Occasions. He still runs it while operating his brick-and-mortar café in Cleveland Heights, where French delicacies such as pain au chocolat, citron tarts and quiche are on the menu.

For June, he is also serving a Pride Cake. Ten percent of sales will be donated to the LGBT Center.

“Identity is important,” says Sferra. “Of course, I want to be good at what I do, but identity really matters.”

Whether it’s a slice of Pride Cake or making sure his own workforce is inclusive, Sferra is dedicated to his community in all he does.

It’s a commitment they return.

“On the day we first opened, 12 of my LGBTQ+ friends walked through the door. I hadn’t seen some for years, and now here they are buying a $46 cake from me, wanting to make sure members of their community are succeeding and doing well. It brought me to tears.”

In honor of Pride Month, Greater Cleveland Partnership is spotlighting local LGBTQ+ businesses, leaders and events throughout June. We’d love your input. Email suggestions to ldemarco@greatercle.com

Greater Cleveland Partnership’s All In vision for a Great Region on a Great Lake has five key priorities: Dynamic Business, Abundant Talent, Inclusive Opportunity, Appealing Community and Business Confidence. All of our work ties back to these values. This story relates to Dynamic Business, Abundant Talent, Inclusive Opportunity and Business Confidence.