Rise Up! The Baker Podcast with Mark Dyck

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

@marthasdelectables on Instagram

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Rise Up! #195 - Martha Barber Aug 23, 2023

Show notes

Martha Barber began her baking career by taking cookies into the office at Christmas time. Now she's shipping her delicious shortbread all over Vancouver Island and onto the mainland too.

In this episode, Mark and Martha discuss the steady growth of her bakery, how strategic partnerships have helped the business grow, finding predictable, repeatable wholesale contracts and why she still thrives on the personal, human touch at her bakery.

Helpful Links

Martha's Delectables

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

@french50bakery on Instagram

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Rise Up! #194 - Marie-Luce Denis and Brad Labrenz Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

Okotoks, Alberta is a small community south of Calgary that boasts an old-fashioned main street, beautiful views of the Rocky Mountain foothills and, for the past few years, a top notch bakery and cafe.

In this episode, Mark talks to Brad Labrenz and Marie-Luce Denis, owners of French50 Bakery, who are attracting hungry folk from well beyond the town limits. They talk about how they've grown from a market bakery to renting a kitchen to recently opening their own place in an old house just off main street. It's a conversation about family, community and bringing French tastes to Alberta.

Helpful Links

French50 Bakery

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

Living Wage for Families website

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Rise Up! #193 - Anastasia French of BC's Living Wage for Families Campaign Jul 26, 2023

Show notes

With the cost of living continuing to rise, bakers and other food service workers are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. The Living Wage for Families Campaign is focused on identifying the real costs of living in Canadian cities and works with businesses to move toward paying employees a real living wage.

In this episode, Mark talks with Anastasia French of the BC arm of Living Wage for Families about the rise in the living wage standard over the past year across the province, the particular challenges within the food service industry, and how her organization can help bakery owners implement living wage strategies at their bakery.

Helpful Links

@lwforfamilies on Instagram

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

Tall Grass Prairie Bread Company

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Rise Up! #192 - Tabitha Langel and Ryan Stoesz Jun 14, 2023

Show notes

Tabitha Langel wanted to serve her community in Winnipeg first and foremost. After much prayer and deliberation, she decided that baking was the way to do it. Now, over 35 years later, Tall Grass Prairie Bakery is at the heart of two core neighbourhoods in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

In this episode, Tabitha and Ryan Stoesz talk about the origins of Tall Grass, their intentional approach to change and growth, and how they are succession planning for a new generation of owners and bakers.

Helpful Links

@tallgrassprairiebakery on Instagram

Ayoko Design, creator of Anthologie Magazine

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

@blackmarketbakers on Instagram

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Production Assistance by Leah Hayward

Rise Up! #191 - Steve O'Leary Jun 07, 2023

Show notes

Black Market Bakers is taking off like a rocket ship in Annapolis, Maryland. Steve O'Leary, his dad and his brother have grown the business from a home kitchen (with Steve's mom selling the loaves door to door) to a food truck, to a full bakery/cafe to recently launching a second location.

But through it all, the business has had a singular focus on happy people -- happy staff, happy customers and a happy, loving relationship between the business partners.

Helpful Links

Black Market Bakers

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Rise Up! #190 - Stefan Spicknell May 31, 2023

Show notes

Stefan Spicknell knows who his bakery is for. All he has to do is look out his door on Great Western Road in Glasgow and look at the flats, the schools and the people walking by. And his deep focus those people, and his craft, is what keeps Cottonrake Bakery grounded in his community.

In this episode, Mark and Stefan talk about Stefan's journey to the Great Western Road, from a rented kitchen, to a tiny shop, to a tiny shop with a cafe down the road. And how he's overcome everything from heart surgery to volcanoes to make Cottonrake a mainstay in Glasgow's West End.

Helpful Links

Cottonrake Bakery

@cottonrake on Instagram

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Rise Up! #189 - Maurizio Leo May 24, 2023

Show notes

Maurizio Leo has been writing the excellent Perfect Loaf blog for a decade now, teaching thousands and thousands of people to bake amazing sourdough bread. His writing and teaching style, paired with top-notch photography, makes his site one of the most important resources in the baking community and his new book is helping him reach an even larger audience.

In this episode, Mark learns what drives Maurizio to continually hone his baking craft, why it's important to share what you learn as you go, and how bread and baking keeps his creativity high, even after 10 years of writing and teaching.

Helpful Links

The Perfect Loaf

@maurizio on Instagram

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Production Assistant: Leah Hayward

Rise Up! #188 - Ron Bokenfohr May 17, 2023

Show notes

Ron Bokenfohr is looking for a new (old) way to grow grain and feed the soil at the same time. His farming and milling operation north of Edmonton, Alberta is focused on regenerative agriculture: farming with a focus on building a complex, healthy soil.

In this episode, Mark and Ron talk about the process of shifting to a regenerative farming model and Ron's progress in building a grain sprouting and milling operation that he hopes will supply bakers from Vancouver to Thunder Bay.

Helpful Links

Regenerative Grain

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

@laughingtreebakery on Instagram

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Production Assistant: Leah Hayward

Rise Up! #187 - Hilde and Charlie Muller Apr 26, 2023

Show notes

Charlie and Hilde Muller were bakers before they moved to the middle of the forest in western Michigan and began carving a home, a bakery and a life from the woods. Laughing Tree Bakery has been going strong for the past 14 years, feeding the people via the Muskegon Farmers Market and several stores and cafes in the region.

In this episode, Mark, Hilde and Charlie swap stories about their shared baking ancestor, Alan Scott, discuss the early days of Laughing Tree and dig into why the Mullers may have a leap or two left in their baking journey. It's a fun, wide ranging talk that lingers on a core question of life: why (and how) do we choose our path?

Helpful Links

Laughing Tree Bakery

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series