Summer News. My path in becoming a baker...
... goes through Powburn, Northumberland, England.
Hello, TFL friends. This is a delicate post for me to write, because it concerns a personal matter and because, as you probably know, I am not a native English speaker. However, I will do my best to communicate and make my story interesting.
It has been a long time since I have been so excited about what lies ahead, and I am happy to share with you my latest news.
A while ago, I mentioned that I was nursing an ambition to become a baker; a “real baker”! I want to run my own bakery. I want to bake good bread, offer it to nice people and make a living out of it. Without any money to begin a business, in the past year, all I did was dream, and hope that one day...? Well, that day has become closer than ever before. My dreams are no longer dreams; they have started to become real plans. I have two partners for moral and financial support. We have formed a Company and we are looking for premises to rent in my hometown of Timisoara and for baking equipment to buy. There is a long way to go, but things are moving at a good pace in the right direction.
I am a self-taught home baker. I have never been inside a commercial bakery. Yes, I am passionate, talented and smart (hope time will prove that :); but at the moment I lack the confidence, experience and knowledge found in a seasoned professional baker. I believe I am filled with sufficient determination and motivation that will allow me to plug these gaps and achieve all my dreams. Even if that means leaving behind my work as an Architect in order to fulfil these baking dreams!
A few weeks ago I started to look for the right place for me to work as an intern, a place where I would be able to learn, but also, a nice bakery, run by a nice artisan baker, willing to show patience, share knowledge and train a beginner. Luckily for me, I didn’t have to look for very long or very far. Andy (Ananda) has been my mentor and friend since my first day on TFL. I wrote him a message and he generously agreed to help me.
So, what I am really excited about, as I mentioned earlier, is that I will be flying to Newcastle upon Tyne, and spending a whole week with Andy, at the beginning of August, in Powburn, England. He scheduled a special work programme so I can gain experience of working in a bakery and gain further knowledge which will help me to set up and run my own business. I will be doing my best to help him make the breads and other goods which he is planning to bake for Powburn Show, and in return, I will have the privilege to work and learn from a great baker and teacher. How is that for good news?
As you can imagine, I am very excited and happy about this arrangement and I am counting the days until this bread baking adventure begins. Who would have thought that my first trip to England would be an amazing baking experience, rather than a relaxing holiday? On the other hand, who would have thought that I would fall so much in love with bread that I would decide to change my career completely and take the bread path without a second thought?
I will leave Andy to add to my post later, with more details about his plans for our work together and I hope you will stay close for future notes.
Codruta
(www.codrudepaine.ro)
ps. My bread path won’t end in England, there will be a “part 2” coming soon, with other great news.
But for now, please be glad for me and wish me good luck!
