"I bake... what's your superpower?"
"Baking is a way to the heart."
The smell of cookies, fresh bread, and cinnamon rolls? It is like heaven on Earth to the nose. Only a few can resist the temptation that those items offer. Although a hobby to many, one can make a career out of this very old skill.
A baker is someone who makes, bakes, and sells different types of breads, rolls, or pastries, using various cooking methods like an oven or other concentrated heat source. Over the years, the line differentiating bakers and pastry chefs has blurred. Nowadays, a baker does not only bake bread, but also produce cakes and other delicacies for their clients.
Baking has been around since 8000 BC in Ancient Egypt.
There are many environments for bakers: large factories, small independent bakeries, chain stores, and restaurants.
Compared to other jobs, for a baker, work experience is usually more important than the standard education. Certain bakers do not even have a college degree. Training is often done, but there are some culinary schools where you can learn techniques and traditional baking styles. In the United States, the Retail Bakers of America offers 4 different levels of voluntary certification.
Experience wise, extensive training and working as an apprentice before starting a career is common. Dealing with numbers and proportions all-day, being good math is useful as well as a baker should be detail oriented. Familiarity with baking equipments is important and for some people, good stamina and strength might be helpful since they may have to lift heavy objects and stand for a long period of time.
A few famous bakers are Duff Goldman and the family of Buddy Valastro from Cake Boss on TLC. There are many TV shows about baking and competitions also. Ladurée is a French luxury bakery and sweets maker house that is known internationally. One of our signature pieces if the double-decker macaron. Approximately 15,000 are sold everyday.
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