I'm new to the site (and a new Baker); hello!
Hello!
I've been lurking here for a while, drooling over your recipes, and admiring your bakes!
Recently I've changed careers from a technology field in video games to baking, and I'm just now getting into the swing of things! My feet and limbs feel almost normal again, I'm not burning myself anymore, and my sleep schedule doesn't make any sense what-so-ever. It was an interesting transition. I grew up with a Sicilian grandmother teaching me how to bake, and I've always had an interest at home in baking... but my goodness, it's so different when you're baking for hundreds / thousands of people. Creating something out of hard work that's so substantial, tangible and seeing people enjoy it has been more rewarding than I imagined. :)
Here are things I learned when I first started baking at work:
- Watch out for your elbows when pulling something out of the oven.
- Keep things relatively close to your body so you don't bend over as much (for your back).
- Sleeping a few hours now and a few hours later feels pretty dang normal.
- Dough isn't as fragile as I originally thought.
- Your brain's internal clock is amazing.
- Soaking feet in hot water helps tremendously. It took a few weeks to get used to standing.
- The saying, "Everything has its place and everything in its place." comes in very handy.
Currently, I'm working at The Duffeyroll Cafe in Colorado, and will be making a few dessert recipes at a restaurant in downtown Denver (I've never done anything like this before! It's slightly scary and exciting). I'd like to learn to create more kinds of breads and pastries in a restaurant setting, and I'll be moving to Portland, Oregon sometime in the next year.
Any tips? Keep practicing at home or would you try to save up for *omg* school to further a baking career?
Hi Theresa
Bake as often as possible, whether at home or at work when you're just starting out. Work in the trade if you can and save to go to trade school or get a qualified baker to take you on as an apprentice. Taking a college level course is probably your best bet. Baking is not the easiest job in the world but it does rate high in personal satisfaction when you do it right on a consistent basis. To do that it (normally) takes some formal 'hands on' practical training in conjunction with class time spent learning the basic and advanced aspects of the craft, not to mention a lot of years in between.The learning part is never over no matter how long you do it for and that's one of the best parts about baking as a career.
Have fun, good luck, and welcome,
Franko
Hi Theresa,
Welcome to TFL.
Not much to add to what Franko says, as he puts it so well. My initial education was academe, but went straight into baking and food manufacture after that. I did the hands on bit for 16 years, then went to College.
Don't hold back on the practice though, whatever you do. I did 2 years Bakery quals, then 2 years Teacher training and now doing a Masters degree in Food Policy. All along, I make sure I keep bang up to date with the craft portion. This means production in college, consultancy work and private training, AND home baking which is what gives most satisfaction as that is food for my wife and I to enjoy...just as WE want it.
This is a great resource here, if you can keep up with everything too..Enjoy!
Oh, and you are so right about tired feet. My feet have spent 20 years in steel toe-capped boots, and they are wrecked!
Best wishes
Andy
Theressa,
Welcome toTFL - I am fairly new also. This is a great place to listen (i.e. read) and also to get really good advice when you have a question. There are some of the nicest, and knowledgable, people - and very willing to share their gifts with others.
I have a similare background to you - I was a software engineer for 30 years and have been in transition for the last three (nice way to say unemployed due to economic down turn). Well, I had always loved food and both cooked and baked a bit at home and like many others thought it might make a good career change. It is hard work but you sound like you have already figured that out for yourself.
My only advice would be to echo what others have said: (1) baked as much as you can at work or at home, (2) get a job if possible baking, (3) try to learn as much as possible from all the folks you work with, (4) never stop learning, (5) understand why a mistake happens and learn from it - think they call this "experience", (6) focus on the specific task you are trying to learn until you really understand it and hopefully master it to some degree - you can always get better. and (7) use school when and where it meets your needs. Advice on when to attend school is so personal that it is hard to give advice on this topic without really knowing a person - what I am trying to say is that formal training is very important and crucial but it is best received when a person is truly ready to submit and absorb it.
Anyway good luck on your journey!
Ben
So very true Ben
and when it turns out to exceed all expectations...then you really do learn lots of new things!
BW
Andy