Rise Up! The Baker Podcast with Mark Dyck

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

@makeathe_bread 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! #185 - Tom Giancola Mar 29, 2023

Show notes

Tom Giancola caught the bread bug watching Netflix seven years ago, and his friends and neighbours have never been happier. His generous spirit feeds an ever larger group of people in Annapolis, Maryland, through his exceptional basement bakery, Makeathe.

In this episode, Mark and Tom talk about the intricacies of building a professional bakery under your living room, how his baking has been embraced by Annapolis food-lovers, how giving is a key part of what makes Tom tick, and how he helped cottage bakers of all kinds by making lasting political change.

Helpful Links

Makeathe website

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Production Assistant is Leah Hayward

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Rise Up! #184 - Byron Fry Mar 15, 2023

Show notes

Fry's Bakery has been a stalwart of Craigflower Road in Victoria for a decade, a shining as an example of how a baker with an old mixer and a brick oven can feed a neighbourhood.

In this episode, Mark and Byron sit down at the bakery (well, directly above it) to talk about how the world needs a bakery in every neighbourhood, about starting businesses at a young age, and how leadership is important in the baking industry and around the bench.

Helpful Links

Fry's Bakery

@frysbakery on Instagram

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

@noctuabakery 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! #183 - Daniel Saez Mar 01, 2023

Show notes

All it took was a well made hollandaise sauce for Daniel Saez to switch from life as a lawyer to a life in food. Starting as a culinary chef in his native Venezuela, Daniel eventually made his way to Canada and shifted from culinary to pastry and finally to bread. Now his bakery, Noctua Bread Project in the Junction in Toronto is focused on serving the best possible baked goods to the people in his vibrant, eclectic neighbourhood.

In this episode, Daniel shares his story of deciding to leap into food, moving to Canada and overcoming the stresses of opening his own bakery. We also dig into the importance of sticking to one's vision and principles, and using them to guide difficult decisions.

Helpful Links

Noctua Bread Project

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

@goodsidepastryhouse 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! #182 - Haley Landa and Curtis Helm Feb 01, 2023

Show notes

Haley Landa and Curtis Helm met in pastry school and have been steadily building their skills and experiences in hotels and restaurants in Canada and beyond. All this work has culminated in opening Goodside Pastry House in Victoria last month, opening to huge lineups and extremely happy customers.

In this episode, Mark takes a trip to the bakery to chat with Curtis and Haley around the bench, in between some test bakes and the start of their weekly croissant production. They talk about the baker's lifestyle, and leaving yourself open to opportunities as they arise, the slow buildup of a clientele in Victoria, leading to the opening of their own brick and mortar shop. It's a fun, energetic chat with several pearls of hard-earned wisdom.

Helpful Links

Goodside Pastry House

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

@cliffside_hearth_bread_company 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! #181 - David Aplin and Camelia Proulx Jan 18, 2023

Show notes

David Aplin was a rock guitarist who apprenticed as a baker at Loblaws. Camelia Proulx was building a career in the food industry front-of-house. Together, they spent the past 12 years rocking the baking world in Scarborough, Ontario at their bakery Cliffside Hearth.

In this episode, Mark, David and Camelia sit down to talk bread, wood fired ovens and getting the maximum production from a very small baking space. And Mark discovers just how closely his baking journey has aligned with David's, year after year.

And also, some annoucements around baking gatherings with Mark over the next few weeks!

Helpful Links

Cliffside Hearth Website

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

@thegoodbatch 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 #180 - Anna Gordon Jan 11, 2023

Show notes

Anna Gordon started selling her amazing cookies at the Brooklyn Flea in 2010 and has since created a delicious destination bakery in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.

In this episode, we kick off 2023 with a vibrant conversation about Anna's love of creating layers of flavours and textures, visualizing the perfect day of a bakery owner, and what it's like to create a platform that does so much tasty good in her community.

Helpful Links

The Good Batch

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

Bread Bakers Guild of America

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Rise Up! #179 - Karen Bornarth Nov 02, 2022

Show notes

Karen Bornarth has been an active part of the American bread scene for over two decades. This past July, she was named Executive Director of the Bread Bakers Guild of America and is fully engaged moving the baking profession forward.

In this episode, Karen shares her baking story, from late nights at Amy's Breads to her baking and education work at Hot Bread Kitchen. And they dig into Karen't vision for the Guild as they celebrate their 30th anniversary and set course for the next 30 years.

Helpful Links

@breadbakersguild on Instagram

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

The Orange Bakery website

Credits:

Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck

Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck

Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Rise Up! #178 - Kitty and Alex Tait Oct 26, 2022

Show notes

When Kitty Tait was 14, she went through a very rough time, and baking bread was key to her recovery. She baked, and baked, and baked some more, until her friends and neighbours were well fed, and she kept on baking. Soon Kitty and her dad Alex were baking by subscription, then at a retail shop and are now running The Orange Bakery in Watlington, UK full time.

In this episode, Mark, Kitty and Alex sit down to talk about the remarkable growth of the Orange Bakery, their excellent book Breadsong, how Instagram helped Kitty find her teachers and mentors and their latest project to spread the craft and nutrition of fine bread baking.

Helpful Links

@the_orangebakery on Instagram

Breadsong: How Baking Changed Our Lives - goodreads

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series

@starkravingbread 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! #177 - Josh Houston Oct 05, 2022

Show notes

When Josh Houston started teaching cooking at his local high school, the incumbent chef put him in charge of the baking program. It didn't take long before Josh was baking so much bread and pastries in order to 'crack the code' of yeast and gluten that he needed to start selling his extras. Stark Raving Bread was born.

In this episode, Mark and Josh discuss the birth and growth of Josh's bakery, moving from home to a commercial kitchen and soon back home again, and how he is finding the balance to bake for hundreds of people and still be a great husband and father.

Helpful Links

Stark Raving Bread

Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series