Rise Up! The Baker Podcast with Mark Dyck: Recent Episodes
Mark Dyck: Baker and lover of bakeries
The Rise Up! Podcast is a celebration of bakers, the bakeries they created and the people they serve. Join Mark Dyck as he talks with bakers and bakery owners from across North America and around the world. Hear about their struggles and triumphs and learn about the satisfaction that feeding a community can provide.
After many months away from the mic, Mark is finally publishing a 'lost episode' where he talks with his old buddy Nate Houge of Brake Bread in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Nate wanted to hear the entire 'Mark the Baker' story in one go, and share that story in one place. Ever the contrarian, Mark got Nate talking about his life in Minnesota too.
In this episode, two old friends catch up, discuss aging, family, musicals and lots and lots of baking, starting with Mark's first forays into brick ovens, right up to why personal growth and workshops like the Bakery Leadership Circle are so important.
There is also talk about the fourth edition of Bakery Leadership Circle, launching in March, 2026!
Helpful Links
Brake Bread website
@brakebread on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
After more than seven years and 220 episodes, it's time to draw a line under the Rise Up! Podcast.
In this episode, Mark shares his reasons for stopping the show, discusses what is next for the podcast, Bakers4Bakers and his other baking passions, and reflects on the high points of over 200 hours worth of whole-hearted conversations.
Helpful Links
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
The Bakery Leadership Circle
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
There are times when family is bigger than career and you need to figure things out. And often, bread and baking becomes the way forward. That's what happened to Mark Gavigan and Kristin Ryall, who gave up careers in the wine trade to relocate to Palm Springs to be closer to their family, and Mark fell into baking in a big way.
In this episode, Mark, Kristin and your host Mark talk about the experience of giving it all up to move cross country, how baking started small and then grew and grew until they opened their brick and mortar location, and the challenging reality of baking in an extremely hot, extremely seasonal location.
There is also talk about the Bakery Leadership Circle, Mark's new project offered via the BBGA
Helpful Links
Bread and Flours
@breadandflours on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Arlo Brandl returns to Rise Up! after seven years, still in Tecumseh, Michigan but in a new location on the main street and with a brand new book!
In this episode, Mark and Arlo talk about the big move to the main street, why baking alone still works best for him and his family, and they dig into Early Riser, Arlo's new memoir and recipe book. Just like his bakery, Arlo's book is a labour of love and true gift to his community and the baking community at large.
There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle.
Helpful Links
Buy Early Riser on Amazon
Tecumseh Bread & Pastry
@tecumseh_bread_pastry on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Laura Fessenden dreamed of being a record executive, but food nosed ahead of music at Moxie Bread Co. in Boulder, Colorado. Starting as a barista, Laura took on more and more responsibility until her mentor and bakery founder Andy Clark died in 2022. Now the overall Director of Operations, Laura and her team are continuing Andy's legacy while building a business that works for everyone, well into the future.
There is also mention of Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle and two new, excellent baking books: Flour is Flavour by Dawn Woodward and Early Riser by Arlo Brandl
Helpful Links
Moxie Bread Co.
@moxiebreadco on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Kevin Masse started a small bakery in a small state, but he didn't stay small for long. These days, Small State Provisions has two locations in the Greater Hartford, CT area, is open seven days per week and is continuing to expand hours and flavours.
In this episode, Kevin shares his journey from food writing to food making, the value of having a vision and a plan, and how it's impossible to shake a childhood dream of feeding people. And before all that, Mark goes on a bit of a rant, so be warned. 💖
There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle, offered through the Bread Baker's Guild of America
Helpful Links
Small State Provisions
@smallstate on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Scott France travelled extensively before settling down in Seattle, starting in the food business and joining Macrina in 2016. Now he spends his days leading a team of over 200 employees and serving customers via six cafes and multiple wholesale accounts.
In this episode, Mark and Scott talk about the value of world travel, especially for North Americans, how Macrina navigated the Covid pandemic and how they are now able to focus on their core goals and values in the years ahead.
There's also some talk of the Bakery Leadership Circle, which is launching a new session in March. Apply now!
Helpful Links
Macrina Bakery
@macrinabakery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Travis Gerjets is back on the podcast and holy dinah, he's got a five year old bakery now! A coffee shop, cafe and airstream trailer full of awesomeness too.
On this episode, Mark and Travis dig deep into the prairie baking mythos, talk about Prairie Sky Breads and the Minot food scene, about building a bakery that doesn't kill the baker, and embrace their shared love of amazing baking teams.
There's also talk of The Bakery Leadership Circle, a leadership and change program for bakery owners and senior leaders, kicking off in March 2025. Apply now!
Helpful Links
Prairie Sky Breads
@prairieskybreads on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Lisa and Nic Romano had careers in food and hospitality, and got into market baking so Nic could stay home with his young family. But when business took off and they had a chance for a Big Leap, they both dove in, taking over The Breadery in 2023. Now they are delivering wholesale bread around the state, running a full retail bakery (complete with olive oil tasting!) and are still attending four markets.
In this episode, Mark learns more about the effort involved in taking over an existing bakery, merging two passionate customer bases together, and keeping the family intact and engaged in a massive bakery project.
There is also the Bakery Leadership Circle, which is accepting applications for the Spring 2025 session!
Helpful Links
The Breadery
@the_breadery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Tim Kastner loves bread and he loves the solitude of bread baking. He also loves working at the Bread Lab, a wholesale bread bakery in St. Paul, Minnesota.
In this episode, Tim shares the origins of the Bread Lab, springing up as part of Patisserie46, a fine pastry shop founded by master patissier John Kraus, and how his passion for baking makes the night shift a feature of the job, rather than a burden.
There's also talk of Mark's new workshop, the Bakery Leadership Circle, which is opening applications for the Spring 2025 session on December 10!
Helpful Links
Patisserie46 / The Bread Lab
@patisserie46 on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
When Chris DiPiazza needed a break from his IT business, he took a cooking class with a bread baker. That class opened up a portal that changed his life and career. From small beginnings, Chris slowly built up his wholesale business until opening Mighty Bread Co. in a small corner of a larger building in 2017. These days, his bakery is the main player in the building, as Chris and his team go from success to success.
In this episode, Mark and Chris talk about how Chris' role has changed over the years, how they keep the team's creativity high and cohesion tight, and how he is revelling in connection with his neighbourhood and the robust food community in Philadelphia.
There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle, which has a new session starting in the Spring 2025.
Helpful Links
Mighty Bread Co.
@mightybreadco on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Erica Leahy was working in an office job when she realized she had missed her calling. So she gave up her stock options and health plan, left the office and set off for the life of a pastry chef. After unpaid internships, several stints baking for fine restaurants, finding her feet in a commissary kitchen and starting a family, she opened Three Daughters Baking Co. in 2018.
In this episode, Mark and Erica talk about the people in her life that have been cheering her on (and pitching in) throughout Erica's baking career, and how she's put down deep roots over the past 16 years in South Orange.
There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle, which has a new session starting in early 2025.
Helpful Links
Three Daughters Baking Co.
@threedaughtersbaking2018 on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Gillian Lundgren was lured to the Bay Area by her favourite aunt and has never left. Through a long and varied career as a baker in San Francisco, from bakeries to pop ups, she founded Black Jet Baking Co. right down the block from where she got her start. She's putting down deep roots and making sure the people in her neighbourhood are well fed.
In this episode, Mark and Gillian talk about both the need for and the short life span of Hustle, how Covid forced her bakery to flip from mostly wholesale to all retail, and how Gillian keeps her creative juices flowing in all aspects of her bakery.
There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle, which will run again in 2025
Helpful Links
Black Jet Baking Co.
@blackjetbaker on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Carly Rossmeissl wants to experience everything baking has to offer. Since graduating from baking school she's travelled from New York to Austin to Wisconsin, working with bread, cakes, desserts and even stuffed pretzels. But her work keeps coming back to two things: solving problems and building strong, happy teams. In this episode we talk about Carly's long and winding journey in baking, with some trade union talk and even a detour into Halloween costumes as well.
There is also talk about the Bakery Leadership Circle, which has a new session coming in 2025.
Helpful Links
Madison Sourdough
@madisonsourdough on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
There's something special about small town bakeries. And when your bakery is on the main street of a small town in the heart of Sonoma, California and you're baking stellar bread from a massive brick oven, well, now you really have something special.
Jessie Frost has all that and more. A native of the Sonoma area, she baked around the Bay Area before eventually taking over Nightingale Breads. In this fun, thoughtful episode, Mark and Jessie talk about her love of place, taking the plunge to owner her bakery during a time of turmoil and her slow, steady approach to making the bakery her own.
There is also talk about the Bakery Leadership Circle, which has a new sessions coming up in the New Year.
Helpful Links
Nightingale Breads
@nightingalebreads on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
When Mark Hart decided to go out on his own, he built a commercial baking space, but not for his own production baking. Instead, he and his partner Luis Cabral started Rise Baking Lab, a teaching and event space where they can share their love of baking with professional and amatuer bakers alike.
In this episode, Mark and Luis share their vision for their new bread lab, the joys to teaching, and their growing consulting business, while discussing how there are so many ways to be a part of the baking industry without focusing on early morning production.
There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle, which is offering a new session in early 2025.
Helpful Links
Rise Baking Lab
@risebakinglab on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Jonathan Stevens new book, The Hungry Ghost Bread Book, is a throwback to the first wave of books on artisan baking in the 1990's. And for good reason, because Jonathan has been part of the North American bread scene from the very beginning.
In this episode, Mark and Jonathan take a trip back to the early days in Northern California, figuring it out with Alan Scott, opening an opinionated bakery in Western Mass, telling stories, singing songs and writing poetry. And through it all, reconnecting to the power of feeding people good bread day after day.
Helpful Links
Buy Jonathan's Book via bookshop.org
Hungry Ghost Bread
@hungryghostbread on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Holly Showalter was a pastry chef in Virginia when the big skies of Montana came calling to her. After several years working different jobs and settling into the local community, Holly opened Wild Oats Baking. Now she's feeding the people and the people are fully embracing her and her food.
In this episode, Mark and Holly talk a little about tiny houses, more about hiring from within a small town, and a lot about how serving the local community means bringing all your skills to bear on the things they want to eat.
Helpful Links
Wild Oats Baking website
@wildoatsbaking on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Today Mark is joined by Karen Bornarth of the Bread Bakers Guild of America and Martin Barnett of the Baking Association of Canada to talk about the state of the baking industry in North America.
They reflect on the success of two recent national meetings, discuss the range of benefits that nationwide education and advocacy can provide, ponder the implications of a $10 loaf of bread, and more.
Helpful Links
@breadbakersguild on Instagram
@bacnational on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Once Lyndsey Bell realized that the corporate life was not for her, she and her partner Jay Valeri dove into the world of donuts and coffee. Since they found their sweet spot and opened Bigfoot Donuts seven years ago they have gone from strength to strength.
In this episode, Mark, Lyndsey and Jay talk all things donuts and coffee, being able to take advantage of opportunities when they are presented, who exactly is going to drive their donut truck, and more. It's a fun talk with two hard working bakers.
Helpful Links
Bigfoot Donuts
@bigfoot.donuts on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
When we get tired and frustrated as bakery owners, we often fall into the trap of thinking of our employees as expenses and not assets and partners. Luckily, there are resources like the Good Jobs Strategy to help us reset our thinking and put our employees at the forefront of our business success.
In this episode, Mark talks with Sandhya Mahadevan of Good Jobs Institute about their work with large and small businesses evaluating the role of employees and implementing strategies to build long term benefits for the people and the business. They talk specifically about the Good Jobs Strategy and how it can be applied to bakeries of all sizes.
There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle, which has a new session starting in July.
Helpful Links
Good Jobs Institute
The Good Jobs Strategy overview
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Ian Herrington turned the turmoil of Covid into the catalyst to make the leap into bakery ownership. Now Leavened, his elegant bakery / cafe in Cleveland is making a name for itself within the neighbourhood and for miles around.
In this episode, Mark and Ian talk about the quiet rhythms of a bake team working around the bench, the joy of working with great partners and the thrill of welcoming Ian's regulars into the bakery every morning.
There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle, which has a new session starting in July.
Helpful Links
Leavened website
@leavenedcle on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Tom Moore loves starting new projects. And the best thing is, they work. His new bakery cafe, Tombo Eats on Yates Street in Victoria launched to huge buzz this year and is already one of the must visit spots downtown.
In this episode, Mark and Tom discuss the wild and crazy food journey Tom's been on since dropping out of school to apprentice as a chef, opening restaurants in his native Australia, teaching, mentoring and more, before switching to the bakery world in order to spend more time with his children. Oh yeah, there's a move to Canada, a stellar bakery, a satellite store and a cookbook in there too. It's a great talk with a fun, friendly baker and entrepreneur.
There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle, which has a new session starting in July.
Helpful Links
Tombo Eats
Crust Bakery
@tomboeats on Instagram
@crustbakeryonfort on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Carlos Ruiz was a litigation lawyer and quickly found that the daily grind of destroying the opposition was killing him inside. Baking and especially feeding his community was the antidote.
In this episode, Mark and Carlos talk about making the switch from law to the bakery life, making connections with teachers and mentors, the stresses of supporting your family through baking and what El Horno de Pane means to the people in his neighbourhood.
There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle, which has a new session starting in July.
Helpful Links
El Horno de Pane
@elhornodepane on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Jessica Rivers is co-owner and connection engine of the amazing bakery Working Culture Bread in Victoria BC. In the three years since Mark talked to her husband Adam in Episode #128, the bakery has grown and their family has too. Through it all, Jess and the Working Culture team have built even stronger ties within the community, through fundraising, advocacy and lots of listening.
In this episode, Jess and Mark talk about how starting a family helped her baking team grow closer, her faith in food providers to come together to help people and her new project, Club Bop, which helps local small businesses of all stripes support each other.
There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle, which has a new session starting in July.
Helpful Links
Working Culture Bread
@workingculturebread on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Sarah Black sadly passed away on February 15, 2024. To commemorate this kind and thoughtful baker and teacher, we are re-publishing Mark's chat with Sarah from Episode 153. Recorded in October, 2021
Sarah's family announced her passing via Sarah's Instagram page.
Helpful Links
Support the Podcast Here
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
The podcast hits a major milestone by going back to the beginning.
In this special 200th episode, Mark is joined by Daisy Chow of Breadboard Bakery in Arlington, Mass. and Nate Houge of Brake Bread in St. Paul, Minnesota for a wide ranging conversation about everything that's changed since they first met back at Wheatstalk in Rhode Island in 2018, when the podcast was an idea but not yet a real thing.
Recorded on the Monday before US Thanksgiving, with Nate preparing for a night of baking and Daisy rolling out pie dough on camera, the three friends talk about staffing, about product lineups, and about making the difficult changes to make their bakeries sustainable for the long term.
Helpful Links
Learn more about the Bakery Leadership Circle workshop!
Daisy on Instagram
Nate on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Claudia Fimbres and her husband Brad named their store and restaurant Mamacita after Claudia's mother, but these days, it's Claudia who is mother and aunty to an entire community of Latin food lovers in her new home of Pearl Harbour, Newfoundland.
In this episode, Mark catches up with his old friend and learns of her life in cooking, from growing up in Mexico, coming to Canada and deciding to move from Regina, Saskatchewan to 'the Rock.' They also discuss the unique challenges running a fresh food emporium on the far side of a remote island in the North Atlantic Ocean and the involuntary urge to have the flavours of home even when you live and work in another land.
There is also a special announcement of a new workshop Mark is launching in 2024 in collaboration with the Bread Bakers Guild of America, the Bakery Leadership Circle.
Helpful Links
Mamacita Mexican Kitchen
@mamacitanl on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Working with a coach or consultant can be a leap too far for many small business owners, especially owner-operator independent bakeries. Lisa Arnold set out to bridge the gap in her town of Springfield, Tennessee, with Small Town Startup, a marketing agency, startup incubator, coaching practice and meeting space. Lisa is bringing the skills and best practices usually reserved for large corporations to small businesses in an accessible, affordable, sustainable way.
In this episode, Lisa shares her story of moving to a small town and nurturing the energy and excitement of the entrepreneur community there. Mark and Lisa discuss how she lowers the barrier to entry for her services by offering small classes and meetups, how being flexible to each business' needs has helped her grow, and how every small town needs a sparkplug to keep the small business community connected and thriving.
Helpful Links
Small Town Startup
@smalltownstartup on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
After working as a baker on both coasts, Amy Corliss returned to her home state twelve years ago to open her own place in downtown Fort Collins, Colorado. She recently moved down the road to a new space and is focused on building community, growing her team and feeding the people in a converted 1905 heritage house.
In this episode, Mark and Amy talk about her pastry school experience in Vancouver, the benefits of fair but firm teachers, the evolution of good food in the centre of North America, and seeking out "partners in leadership" when building her team.
Helpful Links
Little Bird Bakeshop
@the_little_bird_bakeshop on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Ed and Natasha Tatton have been building an outstanding, 100% plant based bakery in Whistler, BC for several years, and have just launched a stellar cookbook from the bakery. The book is both approachable and very detailed, explaining the intricacies and advantages of vegan baking while bringing Ed's incredible flavour combinations to each recipe.
In this Episode, Mark talks with Natasha and Ed to learn about what's been happening at Ed's Bred since Ed was on the show in 2021, the challenges of writing a book and testing recipes while keeping the business running, and why plant based baking is no longer just a fringe 'alternative' option.
Helpful Links
Register for the BAC Webinar: Telling the story of your bakery on Nov. 14, 2023
Ed's Bred website
Learn more about Bred: The Cookbook
@eds_bred on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
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
@marthasdelectables on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
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
@french50bakery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
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
Living Wage for Families website
@lwforfamilies on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
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
Tall Grass Prairie Bread Company
@tallgrassprairiebakery on Instagram
Ayoko Design, creator of Anthologie Magazine
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark 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
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
@blackmarketbakers on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
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
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
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
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark 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
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
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark 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
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
@laughingtreebakery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark 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
Moving to an island in the Pacific Northwest is not easy. Moving intentionally, with a view of contributing to the community is even more difficult. But Sage Dilts and Nathan Hodges have done just that with their farm and bakery on Lopez Island, Washington.
In this episode, Mark learns how Sage and Nathan met in grad school in the Bay Area, where Sage also developed her baking chops, how they found their way to Lopez Island and how the locals embraced their quest to make the best bread from the localist grains. And how Barn Owl Bakery is feeding their village. Alan Scott also makes recurring appearances in the journey, as a mentor and guide.
Helpful Links
Barn Owl Bakery
@barnowlbakery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark 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
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
@makeathe_bread on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
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
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
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
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
@noctuabakery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
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
@goodsidepastryhouse on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
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
@cliffside_hearth_bread_company on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
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
@thegoodbatch on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
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
Bread Bakers Guild of America
@breadbakersguild on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
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 Orange Bakery website
@the_orangebakery on Instagram
Breadsong: How Baking Changed Our Lives - goodreads
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
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
@starkravingbread on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Teisha Huff is back! She and Mark catch up on her new project as head pastry chef at the new, chic, contemporary Latin-fusion restaurant Fortuna's Row in downtown Calgary, Alberta.
After ten years honing her craft as a bread and pastry baker around Saskatchewan, what's it like to create composed desserts? How do Mom and Dad like having their daughter back? What's it like working the evening shift? Are there cast-iron brownies on the menu?
Plus, as many stories as Mark can muster with his Covid-addled brain. Hope you enjoy this talk!
Helpful Links
@_teishalynn on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Nels Leader is the second-generation CEO of the iconic Bread Alone Bakery in Boiceville, New York and is continuing to move their vision to Feed The World forward.
In this episode, Mark and Nels talk about how you're never "done", even as the business expands, how Bread Alone shifted to being a carbon-neutral bakery and what the future holds for the bakery and the bakers at Bread Alone.
Helpful Links
Bread Alone Bakery
@breadalonebakery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Asking why a communion wafer might make her friend sick started Elizabeth DeRuff on twenty year journey of farming, baking and teaching. As the President of Honore Farm and Mill in Marin County, California, Elizabeth both teaches city folk where their bread comes from and how to bake with flavour and health in the forefront.
Recently, the farm has begun growing out Hourani wheat, a heritage grain with, which was retrieved from the ruins of an ancient Jewish fortress in Palestine.
In this episode, Mark learns about the evolution of Honore farm and the fascinating story of this ancient strain of durum wheat.
Helpful Links
Honore Farm and Mill
@honorefarmandmill on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Let's end this summer season of Second Rise episodes with a bang. It's time for the OG, my friend and mentor, Tracey Muzzolini, from the very first conversation on Rise Up! in 2018. (Rise Up! #2)
Tracey is the co-owner of Christies Mayfair Bakery in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It's a full on artisan bread and pastry shop, with classic italian specialties and awesome sandwiches too. And they also have a second location in the trendy broadway neighbourhood offering the best neapolitan pizza i've ever had.
Since we had this talk, Tracey's been busy and is getting even more famous. She was a celebrity judge on the Canadian version of Wall of Bakers this spring. And last month, Christies celebrated their 90th anniversary!
When we dreamed of our own bakery, we wanted it to be like Tracey's place in Saskatoon. Great food, serving her local neighbourhood, with a focus on people in general and her extended baking family in particular.
I love Tracey so much that I'm willing to shine a light on the very first podcast interview I ever did. I don't know if that makes me brave or stupid, but there you go.
Helpful Links
Christies Mayfair Bakery
@traceyfromchristies on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Randy George was one of my mentors when we had Orange Boot Bakery, although we never spoke 1:1 until this talk in September 2018. (Rise Up! #24)
When I was planning the podcast, Randy was one of the people at the top of my list of folks to talk to, because he was really focussed on putting his employees front and centre in the bakery. He was the guy you turned to when attracting and retaining employees came up. And his bakery is a wholesale operation, which I knew nothing about but was curious to learn about. So I was thrilled when we finally got to spend some time together.
There's lots in this talk that you're going to love.
Helpful Links
Red Hen Baking Company
@redhenbaking on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Cindy and I are travelling in England and Scotland this summer. I expect to be heading to a lot of bakeries on this trip, eating the good stuff and learning more about the #realbread scene there.
#realbread is a proper movement in the UK and Chris Young is the guy who keeps the energy high and the momentum growing. So it's only fitting that we bring back the conversation we had last year (Rise Up! #146), prior to another month of celebrations of all things Sourdough. They run a month-long #sourdoughseptember campaign and finally, for the first time ever, I'm out in front of it in 2022. Yippee!
Chris is a cool guy and the campaign is interesting and important. So get ready to dig into a 100% naturally leavened conversation with Chris Young of the real bread campaign.
Helpful Links
Real Bread Campaign
@realbreadcampaign on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
We're getting some Orange Boot Bakery nostalgia this week. Because for this Second Rise episode, I'm sharing the talk I had with Teisha Huff in March, 2019. (Rise Up! #48)
Teisha was a big part of the Golden Years at Orange Boot. She was our first ever student intern. Our Head Baker for three years. And after she left us for greener pastures, she kept working on her game. She started a sourdough donut pop-up shop and made the best donuts I've ever eaten. She was the head baker at Night Oven Bakery in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and knocked it out of the park their too.
And now, she's back in her home town of Calgary, Alberta hatching a new scheme. She's going to be heading up the pastry area at a new hip and trendy restaurant that's opening this summer. Sounds like she'll be doing bread and ice cream too. Wow!
But for this chat, let's go back in time to a time when a fresh faced, 22 year old new grad decides to move 750km to the Saskatchewan prairies to work at this new fangled Orange Boot Bakery. What were you thinking Teisha? Let's find out...
Helpful Links
@_teishalynn on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
When I talked with Josey Baker back in 2019 (Rise Up! #55) I wasn't sure what to expect. He was already super famous, with a best selling book, talks at Google, and his irrepressible grin all over YouTube and Instagram. In my mind, he was one of the early wave of 'bread celebrities.'
The Josey I spoke to was one of most thoughtful men I've ever met. Our talk gave me the confidence to 'go there' and talk about culture, privilege and mental health. It changed me for the better and I think you're going to love it.
Helpful Links
Josey Baker Bread
@joseybakerbread on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Charlie Emers is an old friend of mine, although only via email, until we got together for a conversation back in early 2021. (Rise Up! #118)
Since he was on the show, we've struck up a fun correspondence, with Charlie writing me long emails from his front porch. I imagine him hitting send and then either heading to the bake shop or sneaking out the back of the farm for a hike or a ski. It's a friendship I cherish.
Baker, Philosopher and Matzoh maker, Charlie Emers of Patchwork Farm and Bakery in rural Vermont.
Helpful Links
Patchwork Farm and Bakery
@patchworkfarmand on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
While Mark and Cindy head out on a summer adventure, we're taking a second look at some of Mark's favourite conversations from the podcast archives.
In this episode, we travel back to a conversation with Nate Houge of Brake Bread in St. Paul, Minnesota. It's a peek into the start of a budding friendship that thrives to this day.
(This conversation originally aired as Episode 5 in April 2018)
Helpful Links
Brake Bread
@brakebread on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Sometimes you just see a need and feel compelled to fill it. After working together in the corporate world and being underwhelmed by the quality of their box lunches, Joan Kanner and Michelle Bond decided to bring the great bagels of their native New Jersey to Baltimore. Starting with pop-ups and market bakes in 2015, by 2020 they opened Bottoms Up Bagels on Greenmount Avenue. Now they are taking their bagel show on the road, after two very successful pop-up roadshows in Bozeman, Montana and Cohoes, NY.
Dialing in from the hoodoos of Utah, Joan and I discuss how great bagels aren't just for New York and Montreal, how Bottoms Up Bagels is willing to take on every form of distribution and what it takes to make a splash with their Bagel Roadshows across the USA.
Helpful Links
Bottoms Up Bagels
@bottomsupbagels on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
In this episode, Mark riffs on the challenges faced with building your bakery, or running your marketing, on platforms that you don't own. Plus, listener questions and more!
Helpful Links
Atomic Habits and The Power of Habit on Goodreads
Support the Podcast Here!
Ask a question or listen to past episodes on Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
There are a hundred moving parts at the bakery, even for solo bakers. Ingredients coming in, food going out, and all the processes in between.
Without well defined, repeatable, teachable systems, a day at the bakery can feel like chaos. Get your team on the same page, however, and you can make more product, and feed more people than you ever imagined.
In this episode, Mark shares stories of systems gone awry at bakeries and coffee shops he's visited, and his own bakery as well. He makes the case for getting the boss and the team moving in the same direction to develop systems so your bakery runs more smoothly and with less tension. And he offers some ideas for getting started in making your bakery system savvy.
Helpful Links
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Laura Brannan, aka elbe, has been baking her cannabutter based cookies and cakes since the days when they were allowed as medicine only (and even then it was deeply in the 'grey zone.) Now, Elbe's Edibles are available through cannabis stores throughout Oregon.
In this episode, Mark and elbe discuss the significant roadblocks to opening a cannabis business even though it's now a legal ingredient, the advantages of baking with cannabutter and elbe's struggles and successes building a food based business over the past 12 years.
Helpful Links
elbe's Edibles
@elbesedibles on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Nickey Miller and Josie Rudderham are co-owners of Cake & Loaf in Hamilton, Ontario and are also co-authors of a brand new cookbook called, you guessed it, Cake & Loaf!
In this episode, Nickey and Josie share the story of their bakery, their continued commitment to paying a living wage for their employees, even through the pandemic, and the love and care they have put into their book. The love they have for good food and their community shines through!
Helpful Links
Cake and Loaf Bakery
Cake and Loaf, the book!
@cakeandloafbakery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Sophie Williams is the founder and baker at Raven Breads in Bellingham, Washington, right across the water from Mark in Victoria. Sophie has been baking for her community from a shared restaurant kitchen for the more than eight years now. In this episode, Mark and Sophie talk about her path to baking, the importance of place to living a fulfilling life, committing to whole grain baking and Sophie's plans to build a dedicated bakery space this year.
Helpful Links
Raven Breads
@ravenbreads on Instagram
Mitch Stamm's blog: Thermal Death Point 138
Indiginews: Ukreenians and other celestial mixes
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Hazim Tuğun left a successful career in Environmental Engineering to cook for people in the Bay Area, in Cyprus and in Michigan. Now a Bread Manager at Zingerman's Bakehouse, Hazim is up to his elbows in fresh milled flour every day and is having the time of his life. In this episode, Mark and Hazim talk about getting his start in baking, the tension of leaping into a new career and working on a team where he can be his whole self.
Helpful Links
@thefig_and_thesea on Instagram
Zingerman's Bakehouse
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Natalie Salzman grew up in an Austrian mountain village and wound up living and working in Panama. But she never lost her love of Austrian bread and over time began baking for her family and work colleagues. These days, she's baking full time at her elegant bakery and bistro Krume Backer.
In this episode, Mark and Natalie talk about travel, language, culture and design, and of course bakeries, as Natalie recounts her journey from baking healthy bread for her daughter to building and running one of Panama City's premier bakeries.
Helpful Links
Krume Backer
@krumebacker on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
When Rachel Wyman sees a need, she does what it takes to meet it, whether it's making life easier for her regulars, motivating local runners with the promise of fresh doughnuts or feeding workers being ignored by the government. And if the problem is many times larger than anticipated, so be it.
In this episode, Mark and Rachel talk about her early days baking at Bread Alone and Amy's Bread, embracing being known as the 'doughnut lady', the changing face of baking during Covid, and the thrill of opening her second location in New Paltz, NY.
Helpful Links
Montclair Bread Co.
Gunkin Doughnuts
Will Run For Doughnuts: The Montclair Bread Co. Cookbook
@montclairbread on Instagram
@gunkindoughnuts on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Katie Kopsick wasn't planning on opening a bakery. But when Covid rose up she lost her brand new job and was itching to do something, so Katie started baking bread for friends and neighbours. Two years and two moves later, the Bolivar Bread team is making the good stuff in historic Harpers Ferry and Katie is going from strength to strength.
In this episode, Mark and Katie talk about her early days, swapping dutch ovens in her home oven, obtaining her mythical Rofco oven and bringing her customers with her as she crossed the road from her house in Bolivar to her new bakery in Harpers Ferry.
Helpful Links
Bolivar Bread
@bolivarbread on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Brian Winzenried switched from modelling to baking by taking over his father-in-law's successful bakery in Madison, Wisconsin. After Covid derailed his plans to split time between the midwest and Panama, Brian doubled down in the jungle and opened Gamboa Baking Company. Now he's baking bread for his community and slinging pizzas in the evening too.
In this episode, Mark and Brian talk about learning the craft in New York, bringing new skills to the family business, leaving it behind for a life in the tropics, and how hot and spicy cheese bread is able to transcend distance and culture to be a hit by the canal.
Helpful Links
Gamboa Baking Company
@gamboabakingcoon Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Guy Frenkel was content digging deep into bread and art from his garage, until an opportunity in 2020 saw him taking over a large baking factory. Now Ceor Bread is gearing up to bring excellent bread to a range of clients, from equisite "couture" breads to beautiful, nutritious loaves for the hungry and homeless.
In this episode, Mark and Guy discuss the need for all bakeries to develop a luxury product line, the non-traditional business plan for Ceor and the rise of Cast Your Bread from a local charity to having chapters all over the world.
Helpful Links
Ceor Bread website
Cast Your Bread website
@ceorbread on Instagram
@cast_your_bread on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
As a speech therapist, Shiri Reuveni-Ullrich worked with youth and young adults who often found it difficult to connect with others. When she discovered that baking could be the thing that brought them closer together and brought them great joy, she shifted gears and started Rising Above Bakery. Now their cottage bakery is looking for a larger, more permanent home.
In this episode, Mark and Shiri discuss the ways baking can be therapeutic as well as nourishing, making the leap from therapist to bakery founder and how she plans to expand into a brick and mortar bakery.
Helpful Links
Rising Above Bakery website
@risingabovebakery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Corey Mintz is no stranger to restaurants, working as a cook, restaurant critic and food reporter. His book "The Next Supper: The End of Restaurants As We Knew Them and What Comes After" explores fundamental problems within the food service industry and describes what restaurants, and most importantly, diners, must do to rebuild food service for eaters, owners and staff.
In this episode, Mark and Corey explore the main themes of the book in the context of restaurants and bakeries across North America.
Helpful Links
Corey Mintz's website
The Next Supper on Goodreads
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
While studying for her PhD in Canada, Lara Schuetz made the big decision to shift her studies from literature to food, attending culinary school at George Brown college. Now, back home in Austria, she is studying to be a baker and a certified Bread Sensory Expert.
In this episode, Mark and Lara discuss the apprentice / certification process in Austria, her decision to shift to professional baking and the culture of small farms with independent farmer/baker ladies in Lara's special corner of the world.
Helpful Links
@_lara_schuetz_ on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
"Second Rise" is a collection of Mark's favourite conversations from deep in the Rise Up! archives. This conversation with Blair Marvin and Andrew Heyn, was originally broadcast as Episode 65, in July 2019.
In this episode, Mark, Blair and Andrew discuss building and running their wood fired bakery, committing to using locally farmed grain in their bread and bringing the same commitment to local in the design and production of their stone mills.
Helpful Links
Elmore Mountain Bread
New American Stone Mills
Instagram: Bread / Mills
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Robyn is home for the holidays so she and Cindy sit down for a special live taping of the Rise Up! podcast. We share some of our favourite holiday stories from Orange Boot Bakery, with some insights into what it was like owning a family-run bakery from a teenager's perspective. With a special shout-out to Ben, the fourth member of the family who isn't home quite yet.
Happy Holidays from our family to yours!
Helpful Links
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
"Second Rise" is a collection of Mark's favourite conversations from deep in the Rise Up! archives. This conversation with Jesse Merrill, live from his bakery in Guelph, was originally broadcast as Episode 30, in October 2018.
In this episode, Mark and Jesse discuss his move from a home business to a retail bakery, how he's built his team and the strong emotional connection between his customers and great bread. Some of his customers even break into the conversation to let us know first hand!
Helpful Links
Polestar Hearth website
@polestarhearth on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
When Joshua Bellamy decided to become a baker, he went for it, moving to Vermont to learn and apprentice. Then he moved back to his hometown of Raleigh, NC and eventually opened Boulted Bread with his partners Fulton and Sam.
In this episode, Mark learns about Joshua's teachers and mentors, opening and growing Boulted Bread, the food scene in Raleigh, the new ideas he is pursuing and the challenges in growing and rejuvenating a strong team.
Helpful Links
@boultedbread on Instagram
Boulted Bread website
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Sara Calkins loves baking and loves her team. She's worked all over Seven Stars Bakery in Providence, starting as a barista before moving to the bench, the stone mill and now to spreadsheets and coaching as Bakery Manager.
In this episode, Mark and Sara talk about team building, keeping things fun during the holidays, planning massive holiday bakes and all about Sara's love of good bread and fine bakeries.
Helpful Links
@sarabakes on Instagram
@sevenstarsbakery on Instagram
Seven Stars Bakery website
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
A summer work exchange in France changed the direction of Kyle Greer's life. After experiencing the cycle of farming, milling and baking first hand, he moved back to Quincy, California to build his own farm and bakery, and to build the unique Astrié style mill that he used in France.
In this episode, Mark learns about Kyle's transformative trip to France, the difference between the Astrié mill design and traditional stone milling and why the world needs more "pan-archy."
Helpful Links
@panarchymills on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
From the moment Larry Harris learned that Canada was getting their own version of the Bake Off / Baking Show, he wanted to be a contestant. And once he was on the show, he knew he wanted to have his own artisan bakery.
In this episode, Mark delves into Larry's Great Canadian Baking Show experience, baking every single Technical Challenge, and then gets the lowdown on Larry's new bakery, the transition to professional baking and how it's still a thrill to get stopped in the street by Baking Show fans.
Helpful Links
@bonneviebc on Instagram
Bonne Vie Bakery online shop
La Bonne Vie blog
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Sarah Black is an OG of the New York baking scene. She's one of the first bakers at Tom Cat Bakery and was later a teacher alongside Amy Scherber, before moving home to Ohio to teach and write the excellent book "One Dough, Ten Breads" (one of Mark's favourites.)
In this episode, Mark and Sarah talk about the glory days of baking in New York in the early '90s, making the move to teaching and consulting, and Sarah's newest project, the Bread Box home baking kit, which launched in the fall of 2021.
Helpful Links
@sarahsbread on Instagram
Sarah's cooking classes at Columbus State Community College
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Kristen Richards was taking the slow & steady route to open her bakery, from baking school to apprenticing in NYC, to working as a pastry chef for a restaurant group in Maryland. But Covid threw her a curveball which forced her into some quick decisions. Thankfully, her community embraced Kristen, her baking and Front Porch Baking Co. was born.
In this episode, Mark learns about Kristen's new bakery, what it means to be grain forward and how Kristen is organizing local bakers to help those in need.
Helpful Links
Front Porch Baking Co. website
@frontporchbakingco on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
With her bakery and lifestyle blog Homegrown Kosher, Ahuva Gottdiener is feeding her community two ways. Not only is she baking excellent kosher-certified sourdough bread, but she is promoting a life that is more connected to the land and the people who grow your food.
In this episode, Mark learns how Ahuva started Homegrown Kosher, found a business model that works for her, and how she is able to feed her Orthodox Jewish community and stay true to her own faith as well.
Helpful Links
Homegrown Kosher website
@homegrownkosher on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Stephane Swane is the publisher and editorial director at Modernist Cuisine, which recently launched a deep dive into pizza with Modernist Pizza.
In this episode, Mark and Stephanie discuss her Dakota roots, the work involved to compile such a massive compendium of history, culture and science about our favourite baked meal, the design decisions that went into the book and some of the myths that were dispelled during their research.
Helpful Links
Modernist Cuisine Website
@ModCuisine on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
When Sarah Gonzalez moved from California to Tennessee, she found a community in desperate need of baked goods. So she started feeding people, through farmers markets, a retail bakery and now with a cookbook and baking classes.
In this episode, Mark and Sarah talk about how Spring Hill Bakery burst on the scene in her new town, how baking builds strong bonds within families and communities, and how Sarah is finding balance and resilience to keep her going for the long term.
Helpful Links
Spring Hill Bakery website
Baking with The Bread Lady book site
@springhillbakery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Jamie Alexis was going to be a lawyer and a judge before she realized it was more rewarding (and tastier) to feed The People instead. She opened Suga Brown Pastries and Catering in 2017 and hasn't looked back, making a splash at events throughout LA County.
In this episode, Mark learns some of the ins and outs of the catering business, what it's like to dive into the deep end of an Art Show Gala and how her business craves stability as much as her clients crave Jamie's Pineapple Cloud.
Helpful Links
Suga Brown website
@sugabrownpastries on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
From August 2019, Mark's conversation with John Reid, baker and owner of Red Beard Historic Bakery in Australia and one of the organizers of the 2019 Grainz Gathering.
John died on September 16, 2021 at age 58.
Memorial information can be found here.
Eric Pallant is an avid baker and bread head and is the author of the new book "Sourdough Culture: a history of bread making from ancient to modern bakers." The book is both a love story to sourdough baking and an entertaining account of bread baking throughout history.
In this episode, Mark and Eric take a deep dive into the history of bread, the complementary relationship between sourdough culture and brewers' yeast, and how bread baking helps us recover our time and maintain some magic in our lives.
Helpful Links
Eric Pallant's website
"Sourdough Culture" book on Goodreads
@epallant on Twitter
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Chris Young is on a mission. As Coordinator of the Real Bread Campaign, he wants to make bread better for us, for our communities and for the planet.
In this episode, Mark and Chris discuss the history of the #RealBread campaign, how they are advocating for improved package labelling for bread products, supporting independent bakeries in the fight to stand out from highly processed, chemically enhanced supermarket fare and how simple bread is the best bread of all.
Helpful Links
@realbreadcampaign on Instagram
@realbread on Twitter
Real Bread Campaign website
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Richard Miscovich has been working with good bread, brick ovens and baking education for a while. He was part of America's 'Bread Renaissance', as a student at SFBI and in the very early days of the BBGA, before moving east to King Arthur Flour and Johnson & Wales University.
In this episode, Mark and Richard talk about the early days, the vision behind the KA baking school, the current generation of baking school graduates, and geek out on their shared love of wood fired cooking and baking.
Helpful Links
@rmiscovich1 on Instagram
From the Wood Fired Oven on Goodreads
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Andrew Janjigian is well known in the bread world as a teacher and writer at renowned entities like King Arthur Flour and America's Test Kitchen. Earlier this year, he launched the Wordloaf newsletter where he continues his work teaching home bakers everything about the craft of baking.
In this episode, Andrew shares his long, winding road to becoming a food writer, why it's important to have control of your communication platform and his new focus on elevating Armenian cuisine in America.
Helpful Links
@wordloaf on Instagram
All of Andrew's other links
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
"Second Rise" is a collection of Mark's favourite conversations from deep in the Rise Up! archives. This episode was originally broadcast as Episode 109, in September 2020.
Rose Gray is back! After completing her cycling/baking adventure in Belgium and Denmark, Rosie returned to her native Scotland to oh, let's see, organize an awesome gathering on local grains, convert a horse trailer into a bakery and start baking six days a week for the people in her village. And start University. And more!
In this episode, Mark gets all caught up on her adventures, learns how to pronounce Kincraig and gets schooled on some Scottish geography. And dig into the idea of bakeries leading local economic revivals. Reviving food, reviving communities. Great stuff!
Helpful Links
Reviving Food website
@reviving_food on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
"Second Rise" is a collection of Mark's favourite conversations from deep in the Rise Up! archives. This episode was originally broadcast as Episode 86, in January 2020.
Jodi Whalen and Phil Merrick opened August First Bakery and Cafe in Burlington Vermont back in 2010 and step by step have grown it into a sustainable business for them, their staff and their community. They even have the team and systems in place where they can step back from the day to day operations of the bakery.
In this episode, Jodi and Phil share their journey in baking and in business, and share their experience in building a business that will continue after their retirement.
Helpful Links:
August First Bakery Website
Support the Show Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
"Second Rise" is a collection of Mark's favourite conversations from deep in the Rise Up! archives. This episode was originally broadcast as Episode 25, in September 2018.
Martin Philip spent time as a musician and a financier before turning his attention to baking and many, many people are glad that he did. Martin is the Head Baker at King Arthur Flour in Vermont and author of the amazing memoir and bread book Breaking Bread: A Baker's Journey Home in 75 Recipes.
In this episode, Mark and Martin talk about Martin's journey in baking, how he convinced Jeffrey Hamelman to take him on at King Arthur and what it was like to write his book. But mainly they geek out over the wonderous magic of bread baking.
It's like a leisurely afternoon on the porch pondering the meaning of life through gluten, but in podcast form.
Helpful links: Breaking Bread: A Baker's Journey Home in 75 Recipes (Amazon)
Martin Philip's Website: Breadwright.com
@breadwright on Instagram
@kingarthurflour on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
One farm, one bakery and a well fed community. That's the Wide Awake Bakery story. In this episode, Mark learns about the magical meeting when Stefan's neighbour Thor Oechsner suggested baking with wheat from Thor's farm, how they followed the CSA model for getting their bread to the people, and how, over the years, Stefan continues to explore new ways to use his bread for the greater good. It's a wonderful chat with an inspirational baker.
Helpful Links
Wide Awake Bakery website
@wideawakebakery on Instagram
About the Maine Kneading Conference: Rise Up! #12: Tristan Noyes
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Brooke Hanes is a self-taught bread baker making the good stuff for the people in her small town in rural Pennsylvania. She recently opened a retail shop and slowly growing her bakery, while keeping things manageable for a solo operation.
In this episode, Mark and Brooke talk about her early travels in Colombia, returning to Pennsylvania, the regeneration of Brookville, finding other bakers and the joys and challenges of staying solo.
Helpful Links
Wild Rose Bread Co. Facebook Page
@wildrosebreadcompany on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Kevin Scollo worked in restaurants through college until succumbing to the baking bug. After several years working in restaurants and bakeries in New York and Ohio, he moved back to Georgia and took over Independent Baking Co. in February, 2020, just before everything turned upside down.
In this episode, Mark and Kevin talk about his early days in music and food, taking over from the legendary Thom Leonard, working through the pandemic, and how he is slowly putting his own stamp on the bakery.
Helpful Links
Independent Baking Company website
@independentbakingco on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
John Gerlach's family owned a bakery but John was convinced he would not be following in his dad's footsteps. But eventually, he found his way back to the dough, first as a bagel baker and more recently baking his own bread on days off for a growing list of happy customers.
In this episode, Mark and John dig into New York bagels in Pennsylvania, coming back to baking after early resistance, his plans for Hemlock Bread once his new oven arrives and the opportunities to collaborate on his own street.
Helpful Links
Fill A Bagel Website
@hemlockbread on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
When Tara Black started Origin Bakery, she was adamant that her gluten free products had to look and taste as great as their wheat based counterparts and that the bakery would be warm and welcoming to everyone who came into the shop. Her hard work has paid off as the original Origin is thriving and they've recently opened a second location.
In this episode, Mark and Tara talk about how Origin's beginnings and how Tara has slowly and systematically removed herself from daily production, so she can focus on building a great team and taking on new projects in the business.
Helpful Links
Origin Bakery website
@originbakery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Over his long and illustrious baking career, Thom Leonard has helped hundreds of bakers understand the mysteries of grain and flour. He's owned bakeries in Kansas and Georgia, has been a leader and teacher via the Bread Bakers Guild of America and helped Heartland Mill create flour suited for artisan bakers across the country.
In this episode, Mark sits down with Thom to get a fuller story of the life and career of one of his true baking heroes.
Helpful Links
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
There's something special about farmers markets and when it comes to the Carrboro market in North Carolina, Chicken Bridge Bakery makes that market extra special.
In this episode, Mark talks with Rob and Monica Segovia-Welsh, the husband and wife team behind the bakery, about their journey from Wisconsin to Pittsboro by way of Austin and Costa Rica, the evolution of Chicken Bridge Bakery, thriving during Covid and why farmers markets play a special role in making all people feel part of their community.
Helpful Links
@chickenbridgebakery on Instagram
Chicken Bridge Bakery website
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Tobi Sovak was a pastry chef in fine dining restaurants on both coasts before opening Noisette eight years ago with her husband Michael. Now they are serving up all kinds of the good stuff whether you're sitting down or taking out.
In this episode, Mark and Tobi talk about moving from NYC to SF and up to Oregon, adjusting the meet the needs of her community & how wedding season during the year of Covid might have been a blessing in disguise. Noisette is thriving thanks to great food + friendly people.
Helpful Links
@noisettepk on Instagram
Noisette website
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Arturo Enciso got the baking bug when he discovered the cob oven in the back of the house he was renting. Slowly and methodically, he slowly grown his craft and his business from a passion project to a full retail bakery, Gusto Bread.
In this episode, Arturo shares his journey from the backyard to the front room and now to a retail shop. How his bread journey is took him east to New York, Vermont and eventually Spain, and how he is combining the two great staples, wheat and corn, in his bakery.
Helpful Links
@gustobread on Instagram
Gusto Bread website
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
From a childhood enjoying Montreal Bagels to spending time travelling across America, Adrian Hale has created a strong network of bakers, millers and farmers. And while she shares her love of local grains with home bakers, she is also sharing a story of community and connection.
In this loose and winding chat, Mark follows Adrian's journey across the North American whole grain scene, from Portland to Florida and back again. But they keep coming back around the table, with good food and people you love.
Helpful Links
@1000bitesofbread on Instagram
Thousand Bites of Bread
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Amy Emberling went south from Cape Breton to college in the USA but found herself attracted to the baking life more than the office life. Starting as one of the original bakers at Zingerman's Bakehouse in the early 1990's, she is now the managing partner of the business.
In this episode, Mark and Amy discuss the north-south connections along Canada's east coast, how Amy realized baking was her passion, how the Bakehouse has evolved over the years and how things are different for her as managing partner.
Helpful Links
@zingermansbakehouse on Instagram
Zingerman's Bakehouse
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Katie Quinn is a journalist and author who just published her second book about three of Mark's favourite foods: Cheese, Wine and Bread. She has also become a new Italian citizen and is continuing to dig deep into the fermented food of her new nation.
In this episode, Mark gets the lowdown on immigration during Covid, how learning about cheese helped Katie fit into a new city and what it takes to write and publish a major food book.
Helpful Links
@qkatie on Instagram
Katie's Book!
Katie's website
QKatie on YouTube
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Mo Cheeks is a community activist with a love of great bread. And he's figured out a way to marry these two important parts of his life into something way bigger than himself. In a few short months, Mo has people around the country sharing his ideas and clamouring for his bread.
In this episode, Mark and Mo talk about how Bread & Justice was a newsletter before a bakery, how he increased his impact beyond the bread he can bake in a night, and how the world needs both more bread AND more justice.
Helpful Links
@bakingmo on Instagram
Bread & Justice website
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Whitney Keatman and her partner Jess opened The Sparrow Bakery in 2006 and the bakery has shifted and evolved a lot since then. Now with three locations including one in Portland, Whitney and Jess continue to dive in during difficult times.
In this episode, Mark and Whitney talk about starting The Sparrow when she was too young to know better, getting good at building kitchens and building a place where customers come for the people as much as the products.
Helpful Links
@sparrowbakery on Instagram
The Sparrow Bakery website
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
In this inaugural edition of the Slow Rise podcast, BBGA Executive Director Mitch Stamm sits down with Mark Dyck to learn about his journey in baking and his experience as a Guild member. It's a lively chat that ranges from the joys and struggles of owning a neighbourhood bakery to Mark's adventures in getting his podcast off the ground.
Mark is a baker, community builder, former bakery owner and long time Guild member who, in 2018, started Rise Up! The Baker Podcast, where he talks with bakers and bakery owners from around the world.
Helpful Links Mark Dyck (@madbaker) on Instagram
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Bread Bakers Guild of America website
Credits:
Produced by Mark Dyck
Hosted by Mitch Stamm
Music: Hippie Bulle - Stoned Funghi (ID 213) - by Checkie Brown
www.musikbrause.de
Creative Commons License (by-nc-nd)
Edna Cochez is bringing all the good stuff to her native Panama, as a chef, baker and advocate for both chefs and baking brands. She's run restaurants and wholesale bakeries, competed and judged on TV and has continually shared all that she has learned throughout her career.
In this episode, Mark and Edna discover all the ways they are connected through baking and coaching, and dig into Edna's journey cooking, baking and teaching, along with bringing teaching food brands how to grow in her native land.
Helpful Links
@ednacochez on Instagram
Edna's website
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Adam Christie grew up in Regina and used to visit Mark's bakery before heading West. After working in bakeries in Vancouver, he and his partner Jess moved to the Island and set up Working Culture Bread just a few blocks from Mark's apartment. Now the roles are reversed!
In this episode, Mark sits down across the bench from his local baker to learn about how he built his bakery, what their first five months in business have been like and what's in store for the bakery and the bakers.
Helpful Links
@workingculturebreadon Instagram
Working Culture Bread website
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Brant Stewart came to Beirut as a photographer who wanted to tell the stories of the refugees fleeing the war in Syria. Before long, he was fundraising and starting food related projects in and around Beirut, including Mavia bakery.
In this episode, Mark learns of Brant's constant drive to help his community in Lebanon thrive, even as he faces political revolution and deals with the explosion that damaged his home and bakery. And he learns of the myriad of projects Brant has underway and planned to begin.
Helpful Links
@maviabakery on Instagram
Sadalsuud Foundation website
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Ed Tatton travelled the world as a chef who baked, before coming to Whistler, BC. where he took a look around and settled down to do some serious baking. Before long, baking for neighbours wasn't enough and Ed and his wife Natasha got to work, opening Ed's Bred bakery and coffee in 2019 where they serve locals and tourists alike. And since they were both Vegan, their bakery was going to be 100% plant-based too.
In this episode, Mark learns about Ed's start in the UK, being a plant based bakery, and being forced to shift on the eve of the bakery's first birthday due to the Covid lockdown.
Helpful Links
Ed's Bred website
@eds_bred on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Jen Zeuner and Anne Keller came to Fruita, Colorado for the awesome mountain biking and stayed. Visitors kept asking where to find good food in town and they took the hint and opened Hot Tomato Pizza to feed the people. But they aren't just feeding cyclists; they are building community across all social groups in town.
In this episode, Mark, Jen and Anne talk about the rise and rise of Hot Tomato, what it means to serve the whole community and how they are evolving their business to serve the owners too.
Helpful Links
Hot Tomato Pizza Website
@hottomatopizza on Instagram
GoFundMe for John Reid
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Jason Bowman worked in a bakery as a youth in the UK before following his father into the insurance industry and eventually bringing his family to the USA. Now he's a feeding the people in Pound Ridge with his weekly pop-up bread and pastry shop, Breads-n-Bakes.
In this episode, Mark and Jason talk about their mutual love of family, baking and cricket before getting into the nuts and bolts of Breads-n-Bakes, how it started and how Jason's dining room now contains a sheeter and spiral mixer.
Helpful Links
Breads-n-Bakes website
@breadsnbakes on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Jimmy Alderson Benitez baked in New York and Paris before settling down in San Juan, Puerto Rico and opening Cultura Bread in 2019. Due to open his retail bakery just before the Covid pandemic, he was forced to re-work his plans and start his bakery on a smaller scale.
In this episode, Mark learns about the current version of Cultura Bread, and gets a glimpse into Jimmy's remarkable life and baking education. They also dig into Jimmy's new 'slow growth' plan for the bakery that takes the realities of Covid into account.
Helpful Links
Cultural Bread website
@culturabread on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Matt Sanger was seeking the balance between head work and hand work and found it in baking. He's built Round River Baking from a basement micro-bakery to a thriving retail bakery while continuing to find the right balance as he grows.
In this episode, two friends Mark and Matt catch up on what's happening at the bakery, dealing with ever present change, and then dig into Matt's background and why baking had such a profound effect.
Helpful Links
Round River Baking
@roundriverbaking on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Jane Mason is a Canadian who, ten years ago while living in London, founded Virtuous Bread, a course and network for micro-bakery owners the world over. Now living in Mexico City, Jane and the Bread Angels are still going strong.
In this episode, Mark and Jane talk about Jane's career in high finance, life in Mexico City, the founding of Virtuous Bread, the continued growth of micro-bakery startups and how her organization is changing to meet the needs of bakers today.
Helpful Links
Virtuous Bread website
@virtuousbread on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Erin Kirley travelled the world thinking of farms and the environment before focusing in on baking, moving near her parents on the North Carolina coast and opening her bakery. Now she's building a rocking solo bakery serving Southport, Oak Island and as far afield as possible.
In this episode, Mark gets a virtual tour of Erin's bake space, before talking about the birth of her bakery, challenges with wholesale baking, and finding a product lineup that suits a community without a strong bread culture. It's a fun and lively talk!
Helpful Links
Kirley's Breads and Pastries
@kirleysbreads on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
When David Morton moved to the southern tip of South Pender Island, he knew exactly where his oven would sit. It wasn't long before his cob oven was built and he started supplying bread for neighbours up and down the road. Now, when he's not swimming in the ocean or editing his novel, David is delivering his bread all over the island.
In this episode, Mark and David talk about the birth of Happy Monk, their love of wood fired ovens and their concern for the folks just across the Juan de Fuca strait.
Helpful Links
Happy Monk Baking Company
@happymonkbaking on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Charlie Emers was a market gardener, but the outbuilding he had designed for vegetable storage was calling to him to be a bakery. So he borrowed a mixer, bought an old oven and got to baking. That was over 20 years ago and Patchwork Farm and Bakery is still going strong.
In this episode, Mark and Charlie finally chat after swapping emails for over a decade. They talk about the early days, how his everyday matzoh changed his business and how baking fits his personality and lifestyle so well.
Helpful Links
Patchwork Farm and Bakery
@patchworkfarmand on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Mark first heard of Rustica Wood Fired Bakery when he talked to Emily Cayer on the show way back in 2019. He was enthralled by this tiny bakery way up in northern BC, with its hand made bread and wood fired oven.
In this episode, Mark learns about Meg's start as a baker in Australia, building her oven in Smithers and how her bakery supports her community. It's a testament to how bakeries can nurture a community and provide a living for the baker at the same time.
Helpful Links
@rustica_bakery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Noah Elbers has a massive impact on the baking community from his farm and bakery in New Hampshire. Whether it's generously helping bakery owners and oven builders, or redesigning his bakery as a training and education centre, Noah is willing to go the extra distance to build a business that lasts.
In this episode, Mark gets to know Noah beyond the baking forums and digs into the history of Orchard Hill, its amazing apprentice program and even geeks out a bit about software for the small bakery.
Helpful Links
Orchard Hill Breadworks
@ohbreadworks on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
January is often a quiet time at the bakery (at least compared to December!) so it's a great time to step back and reflect on your business and what needs attention.
In this episode, Mark shares how he and Cindy did their January planning at their bakery, and how a new book has helped him fix the gaps in his planning process. Plus his review of the past Covid infected holiday season.
Helpful Links
The EMyth Revisited, by Michael Gerber
Fix This Next, by Mike Michalowicz
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Mark shares his best tips for surviving the Christmas rush at the bakery.
Plus, near death experiences, tiny Christmas Orders, podcast plans for 2021 and a musical recommendation that you're going to love. Maybe.
Helpful Links
Metro's Christmas Album on YouTube
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Hannah Sadler is baking the good stuff for the folks in her town of Springfield, TN. She started in her oven until her kitchen was full to bursting, then opened Grain + Honey last year.
Hannah's been there for her community through Covid and is slowly building a strong team to keep feeding the people.
In this episode, Hannah shares how she's been making the business work so far and how the town embraced her shop. And they dig into why joining the Bread Bakers Guild of America might be next for her.
Helpful Links
Grain + Honey Bake Shop web site
@grainandhoneybakeshop on Instagram
Bread Bakers Guild of America
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Chris Stafferton is on a quest to bring delicious, nutritious gluten free bread to the centre of the table. Bread that everyone enjoys, whether they can digest gluten or not.
Chris' book is the result of a decade of research and experimentation, with 60 gluten free formulas across the whole spectrum of bread.
In this episode, Mark learns about the origin of Chris' 'bread architect' moniker, how he got started baking and how his book has been embraced by the wider baking community.
Helpful Links
Promise and Fulfillment Book Site
@breadarchitect on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Mark Primmer is a baker and a poet and you can find both at the Well Bred market stand in Duncan BC.
In this episode, Mark the host talks with Mark the baker about his long, winding journey in baking and food before he built Well Bred from the ground up. And how words matter, whether in product naming or forging an authentic connection with customers.
Helpful Links
Well Bred Bakery website
@wellbredbakery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Martin Barnett has been a baker, bakery owner and teacher for over 40 years. After retiring as the head of the baking program at Vancouver Island University, he built the bakery and teaching centre Seraphina's Oven beside his home in Ladysmith, BC and is still teaching professionals and amateurs alike.
In this episode, Mark catches up with his friend and learns about his early days as a bread runner in a hippie co-op, shifting from baking to teaching and the adventures his students had in the VIU program. We get a good look at a baking life well lived.
Helpful Links
Seraphina's Oven website
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Rose Gray is back! After completing her cycling/baking adventure in Belgium and Denmark, Rosie returned to her native Scotland to oh, let's see, organize an awesome gathering on local grains, convert a horse trailer into a bakery and start baking six days a week for the people in her village. And start University. And more!
In this episode, Mark gets all caught up on her adventures, learns how to pronounce Kincraig and gets schooled on some Scottish geography. And dig into the idea of bakeries leading local economic revivals. Reviving food, reviving communities. Great stuff!
Helpful Links
Reviving Food website
@reviving_food on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
After a full and successful career as a broadcaster and journalist, Stephen Knight switched to baking and has worked in some of the most renowned bakeries in the USA. Currently Stephen is the head baker at the Expedia Group kitchen in Seattle, or he will be again once Covid passes.
In this episode, Stephen channels his inner journalist to learn more about Mark's baking journey, then shares his experiences from baking with NYC luminaries like Zach Golper and Amy Scherber, overcoming a serious heart condition and moving to Seattle to work with Tom Douglas. It's a great conversation!
Helpful Links
@stephenknightnyc on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Today is a special five person podcast! Coinciding with the world premiere of Bakers Dozen Stories, a series of short documentary films about bakers and their craft, we are joined by the filmmakers and the bakers featured in the first film, FERMENT.
Andre and Rafa teamed up to make Ferment Boulder, a micro bakery with a ton of heart and some seriously fast delivery bikes. Brian is a filmmaker and gifted storyteller with a passion for bread. And Ian is a photographer who is used to filming on cliff faces, but can also get up close and personal with a ball of dough.
Together, they have created a feast for all the senses - a film with heart and humour, and the imagery of Chef's Table and the Tour de France.
Helpful Links
Ferment Boulder website
The Bakers Dozen Stories on Vimeo
Ferment, Brian and Ian on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Mike Vaona has combined his vocation and his avocation. By day, he brings his hardware engineering skills to the team at Ooni ovens, making incredibly small and highly effective pizza ovens. By night, he is either baking his own bread or advising his squadron of Instagram followers.
In this episode, Mark and Mike discuss Mike's shift from Internet startups to pizza ovens, how the baking community on Instagram is thriving and how he is bringing back his great grandmother's way of cooking and eating. They also butcher most Italian words and some English too. :)
Helpful Links
Rosehill Sourdough website
@rosehillsourdough on Instagram
Ooni ovens website
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Gregoire Michaud grew up in the Swiss Alps, but his career took him to the top hotels and restaurants in the US and Hong Kong, before opening Bakehouse in 2013. His bakery continues to grow and evolve, as he tried to bring his baking closer to the people.
In this episode, Mark and Gregoire talk about his baking journey from three star restaurants to his own bakery, what it's like having a bakery in a hi-rise building and what it takes to make big leaps in baking and business.
Helpful Links
bakehouse website
@bakehousehk on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Mark returns from a brief hiatus with a Baker's Choice episode; short riffs and stories from around the world of baking and bakery ownership.
What merit badges could your bakery staff earn? Are you bending to shape your neigbourhood or searching for people who need you as you are? Plus a visit to Seraphina's Oven in Ladysmith BC.
Helpful Links
Seraphina's Oven - Martin Barnett's bakery project
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
After 15 years in the food industry, Megan O'Connor and her partner Graham decided to settle in Arnprior, Ontario and open their own shop. They are putting all their energy into Mighty Fine Bakehouse, living and baking in the same building. While they opened mere weeks before Covid hit, it was enough time to be embraced by their new community.
In this episode, Megan shares her vision for her bakery, how they adjusted to life with Covid and how her customers are also pitching in around her place.
Helpful Links
Mighty Fine Bakehouse
@mightyfinebakehouse and @bitchmakescake on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
In 2014, three friends got together to bake and sell their bread to the restaurants where they worked. They grew in a shipping container and later in the building across the car park. Now, The Dusty Knuckle is one of the can't miss bakeries in London.
In this episode, Mark and Head of Bread Daisy Terry discuss their evolution from a borrowed kitchen, how they continue to adapt to COVID, and what they dream of doing next. Daisy also explains a 'milk float' and gets Mark drooling over pizza. Enjoy!
Helpful Links
Dusty Knuckle Bakery
@thedustyknuckle and @bakerdais on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
When Sam Temple moved back to his native New Hampshire, he knew he needed a different career. So he started baking, a few loaves, then more, then more. These days, Fire Dog Breads is a full retail bakery making ferociously good bread and pastries for their community in Keene.
In this episode, Mark and Sam talk about running across each other on the Guild forums when Sam was starting out, the slow, steady process to build and grow his bakery, who Sam thinks the podcast is really for, and much more!
Helpful Links
Fire Dog Breads
@firedogbreads on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
We celebrate 100 episodes of Rise Up! with a wild, far reaching conversation with Charbel Abrache and Jonathan Bethony, bakers and millers at Seylou, in Washington DC.
With baking journeys that bloom beyond the US to Senegal and Venezuela, Jonathan and Charbel are now hyper focused on the grains closest to their bakery, and are looking far beyond wheat to their menu.
In this episode, Mark learns about more than the grain; he sees the bright spark emanating from this unique, vibrant partnership.
Helpful Links
Seylou website
@seyloubakery on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Kostas Karamichos may live and bake in a tiny village of 400 people in the mountains of Greece, but he is connected to people from around the world. While he bakes for the people of his village and cooks for special events, he also hosts travellers from across the globe, sharing his special piece of paradise.
In this episode, Mark goes on a virtual tour of Kostas' bakery as the delve into what being the Village Baker is truly all about.
Helpful Links
The Bakery of the Village on Facebook
@the_bakery_of_the_village on Instagram
The Poetry of Bread Making - Kostas' bakery on YouTube
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Khaled Mahmassani grew up in Dubai, but his family was originally from Beirut. Khaled moved back to Lebanon to when he became a professional baker, and has been making the good stuff for the people of Beirut ever since.
Switching from baking to teaching before the Covid pandemic, Khaled continues to teach baking in Lebanon and the Arabian peninsula. In this episode, Mark learns about Khaled's baking journey and how it led to publishing an Arabic cookbook for the bakers and online video courses.
Helpful Links
Buy Khaled's cookbook here!
@khaled_mahmassani on Instagram
Khaled's YouTube channel
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Jim Challenger is a passionate home baker who can't just sit with an idea. After trying every current method of baking great bread in a home oven, Jim created the Challenger Bread Pan, a cast iron baking pan specifically for bread. Response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive.
In this episode, Mark and Jim talk about the intricacies of designing and producing a new product, why it's so important to Jim to give back to the community, and how sometimes a good surname is a huge bonus.
Helpful Links
Challenger Breadware
@challengerbreadware on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
The Covid19 pandemic has thrown us all for a loop, forcing some bakeries to close and others to quickly adapt and change. But not all change has been bad.
In this episode, Annie Moss and Emily Squadra, bakery owners from Portland, Oregon join Mark to discuss how their businesses have changed in the time of Covid, and how the crisis has helped them remember what is truly important to them and to their businesses.
The bakery of the future will be different, for sure. It might be much better as well.
Helpful Links
Seastar Bakery
Wildflower Baking
@seastarbakery on Instagram
@wildflowerbaking on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Chris Hruskova travelled the world as a chef before settling in London. There, he teamed up with his friend and successful former bakery owner Per Brun to open Bread Station, with Chris running a location in London and Per in Copenhagen.
In this episode, Mark learns how this multi-national partnership came to be, how adapting to English bread culture meant seeking wholesale customers and how the current pandemic is causing Bread Station to adapt once again.
Helpful Links
Bread Station website
@thebreadstation on Instagram
@christofferhruskova on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Twelve years ago, Ciril Hitz wrote two of the most influential baking books around, complete with a companion DVD to bring his baking to life. He continues teaching and sharing his skills to this day, through Johnson and Wales University, personal classes and his popular BreadHitz website.
In this episode, Mark learns about Ciril's early days as an Industrial Design student, how Peter Reinhart forced him to try out for Team USA and how that experience, and his early videos, continue to influence his work to this day.
Helpful Links
BreadHitz website
BreadHitz on YouTube
Ciril on Instagram
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Matthew Duffy is all over Instagram with his baking and cooking videos, spreading the good word about great bread. He's also teaching the next generation of bakers at Centennial College in Toronto.
In this episode, Mark learns all about Matthew's long and winding career, cooking for celebrities and with celebrity chefs, while slowing and steadily developing his baking chops to the point where he can share them with his students.
Helpful Links:
@matthewjamesduffy on Instagram
Matthew & Centennial College Bread Program (YouTube)
Support the Podcast Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
It seems that every baker and bakery owner out there has been affected by Coronavirus.
We are hosting a free live Zoom Call on Monday March 30 at Noon PT to get together with bakers from all around the world to talk about how you are adapting in a world turned upside down.
You are invited! To join the call, sign up to Bakers4Bakers.org (the free online community about the business of baking)
Once you sign up, head to the Community Calendar for all the call details.
Hope to see you on the call!
How are you dealing with The Virus? Are you hanging in there? In this episode, Mark riffs on the impacts to bakers, how what was impossible is now possible, and how we need a better story once this crisis has passed.
Now is not the time to give up! We can get through this together!
Helpful Links
Support the Show Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Nicky Giusto is a fourth generation baker and miller and is carrying on the Giusto legacy with great aplomb. Nicky competed at the Coupe du Monde and was the coach of Team USA at the most recent competition, in addition to starting the Artisan Baking Center in Petaluma, CA.
In this episode, Nicky shares his family history in bread and flour. We talk about the connection between baker and miller, the purpose of the Artisan Baking Center and what it's like to compete at the highest level.
Helpful Links:
Central Milling
Artisan Baking Center
Artisan Baking Center on Instagram
Support the Show Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Jennifer Koertner is in the centre of the action in her micro-bakery, Jen's Breads. Her kitchen is in the local community centre; all the better to make her place part of the fabric of Mt. Morris, Illinois!
In the episode, Mark and Jennifer discuss the challenges with being a small town market baker, how her central location offers several advantages and how she was able to find such a great partner in her baker Sarah.
Helpful Links:
Jen's Bread website
@jens_artisan_breads_ on Instagram
Support the Show Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Joanne Chang is a shining light on the North American baking firmament. Owner of the hugely successful Flour Bakery in Boston, Joanne is also the author of several beloved cookbooks.
In this episode, Mark and Joanne discuss how she made the leap into baking and built up a mini-empire of bakeries around Boston. Expanding beyond a single shop requires a change of focus and Joanne now plays a significantly different role than the early days. And she still has time to write books like Pastry Love!
Helpful Links:
Flour Bakery Website
@flourbakeryandcafe on Instagram
@joannebchang on Instagram
Joanne's latest book: Pastry Love on Amazon
Support the Show Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Laura Rogerson is bringing the Good Stuff to the people of St. Albert, Alberta. Having baked for the local farmer's market for years, she is now opening her own downtown space to both bake and teach baking classes.
In this episode Mark and Laura talk about building a customer base over time, what it takes to expand to new markets and how she's keeping her build out costs manageable in her new space.
Helpful Links:
Breadlove Website
@breadlove_ca on Instagram
Support the Show Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Richard Placzek is really into baking. Really, really into baking. But it was once he teamed up with Sammy Wardrop that his bakery really took off.
In this episode, Mark talks with both Richard and Sammy about their individual baking journeys, how they met one day at a London farmers market and how they are slowly building The Whole Grain Hearth into a southern Ontario highlight.
Helpful Links:
The Whole Grain Hearth Website
@wholegrainhearth on Instagram
Support the Show Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Jodi Whalen and Phil Merrick opened August First Bakery and Cafe in Burlington Vermont back in 2010 and step by step have grown it into a sustainable business for them, their staff and their community. They even have the team and systems in place where they can step back from the day to day operations of the bakery.
In this episode, Jodi and Phil share their journey in baking and in business, and share their experience in building a business that will continue after their retirement.
Helpful Links:
August First Bakery Website
Support the Show Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
It doesn't take more than a handful of products before a bakery owner asks "How can I stay on top of everything?" Yet once the Pandora's Box of tracking spreadsheets is opened, it becomes harder and harder to leave the screen and get back to the bench.
In this episode, Mark talks about the tracking alternatives available to bakers, from pen and paper to major enterprise level software. And then he asks the most important question: What is "good enough?"
Helpful Links:
Support the Show Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
After a busy holiday season, the start of January is the perfect time for some well deserved rest. But once your rested, smart bakery owners take some time to plan out their business development activities for the year ahead.
In this episode, Mark describes a 7 step method that he and Cindy used to plan out business development for their bakery, including a current business assessment, setting realistic development goals and bringing their bake team along for the ride.
Helpful Links:
Support the Show Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Not only is Alexis Hughes-Williams building her pop-up bakery, Something Sweet, but she's building a non-profit to empower young women at the same time.
In this episode, Mark learns about how Alexis learned to bake from her great-grandmother, built up a popular pop-up bakery and intends to expand it beyond Nashville, while keeping Girl unKnown a prominent part of her life.
Helpful Links:
Something Sweet Website
Support the Show Here!
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Eddy Mysliwiec worked as a chef while he got his degree and started working for the City of Victoria. But his love of food was too strong. Moving to Montreal, he started Breddy Boulangerie and is becoming a major part of his cities vibrant food scene.
In this episode, Mark and Eddy talk about growing up in France, the pros and cons of a desk job and Eddy's plans for his microbakery.
Helpful Links:
@breddyboulangerie on Instagram
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Janice Mansfield switched careers from an office to personal chef, caterer and gluten free baker. Now she is the Bakery Manager of Yonni's Doughnuts, the sweet and leavened counterpart to the excellent Discovery Coffee roasters and coffee shops.
In this episode, Mark learns about how Yonni's has risen and evolved alongside Discovery Coffee, Janice's journey from the office to the bake room and how her love of processes and systems has given her bakers an extra hour's sleep every night.
Helpful Links:
Yonni's Doughnuts / Discovery Coffee
@yonnisdoughnuts on Instagram
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Amy Scherber is founder of Amy's Bread, an New York City Institution. Starting in a tiny space in Hell's Kitchen in 1992, her bakery now spans five locations and even a kiosk in the New York Public Library. Through it all, Amy has been a generous teacher, sharing her knowledge of baking and running a successful business.
In this episode, Mark and Amy talk about the early days of the bakery and how things have changed over 27 years. He also learns what keeps Amy excited as her business grows.
Helpful Links:
Amy's Bread Website
@amysbread on Instagram
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
It turns out the Evelyn's Crackers is about way more than crackers. It's a thriving micro-bakery in Toronto, Ontario which is focused on whole grain bread and pastries, home baker education and yes, crackers.
In this episode, Mark talks with Dawn Woodward, owner of Evelyn's, about her journey north from New Orleans to settle in Toronto, the growth of the bakery and the challenges and opportunity for pursuing local grains in her bakery.
Helpful Links:
Evelyn's Crackers Website
@evelyns.crackers on Instagram
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Daniel Leader is founder of Bread Alone Bakery and author of three outstanding books on bread and bakeries (in addition to being one of Mark's baking heroes!)
His latest book, Living Bread, continues to inform local bakers via innovations in European baking and milling.
In this episode, Mark and Daniel talk about the struggles the current micro-bakers face as they build businesses for the long term, in the context of the innovation he's seen in Europe. It's a challenging and compelling talk.
Helpful Links:
Daniel's Book: Living Bread
Daniel Leader's website
@danmakesbread on Instagram
Bread Alone Bakery
@breadalonebakery on Instagram
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Laura Valli is taking a long and winding path to her education, whether she's in school or out. She recently left her home in Estonia to study at The Bread Lab at Washington State University and is exploring the deep connection between humans and grains.
In this episode, Mark learns about life in Estonia, Laura's world class pursuit of the perfect cup of coffee and what it's like to combine the humanities and wheat breeding. He's also inspired to get over his fear of whole rye loaves!
Helpful Links:
The Bread Lab at WSU
@1aurava11i on Instagram
Travelling Minds Podcast with Libby Jeffrey
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
The Bakers4Bakers Community
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
After leaving the Navy, Amanda Bowers moved to Gainesville, Florida to open a cafe like the ones she loved in Italy. Instead of the cafe, however, she built several iterations of her bakery over 10 years. It's now a dedicated wholesale bakery serving cafes around town.
In this episode, Mark and Amanda talk about her decision to keep her bakery small and family run and the choices that required. We also learn how forming collaborative partnerships between local businesses helps all businesses to thrive.
Helpful Links:
Baker Baker website
@amandas_traditional_bakeshop on Instagram
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
Anne Mayhew loves working with her hands. Starting as a costumer and fibre artist, she eventually fell under gluten's spell and started baking bread. A loaf, then two, then 24 at a time before she realized she really should start a bakery.
In this episode, Mark and Anne talk about her long and winding road toward opening LMNOP, being the village baker in a town with some very famous residents, deciding her next moves and how she got such an interesting name for her bakery.
Helpful Links:
LMNOP Bakery
@lmnopbakery on Instagram
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin
If the last episode of Rise Up! was about fantasy (Ep 73 - the Fantasy BakeryCast) then this episode is about the reality of opening your own bakery.
Cindy and Mark, partners in Orange Boot Bakery in Regina, Saskatchewan, reflect on their experience launching and running their own bakery. They draw on the perspective gained by time away from the bakery and the wide variety of bakery owners who have been on the podcast so far.
They share several things that they wish they did better and some things they did very well.
Helpful Links:
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Rise Up! is back after a longer than anticipated hiatus.
In this episode, Mark gives an update on their move out West.
Later, his wife Cindy runs Mark through a series of questions (developed during the drive to Vancouver Island) to help him discover The Bakery of His Dreams. The business model will surprise you!
Helpful Links:
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Elizabeth Belkind was helping Russian immigrants receive war reparations before switching to working with her hands and her taste buds. Local foodies have enjoyed her pastries and cakes ever since. Since opening Cake Monkey in LA thirteen years ago, her business has grown and changed one tiny cake at a time.
In this episode, Mark and Elizabeth talk about the switch to cooking, working with Nancy Silverton, and how she met her business partner Lisa Olin from a Craigslist ad that said "Must Like Cake!"
Helpful Links:
Cake Monkey Bakery
@cakemonkeybakery on Instagram
Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website
Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series
Mark on Instagram
Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck
Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck
Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin