There’s an undeniable joy in baking. You’d be hard-pressed to find a person who doesn’t have deeply rooted positive memories of seeing some baked treats come out of the oven.
Just speaking for myself, I remember the cookbook of old family recipes that my mother kept on hand for holidays and rainy weekends. Each recipe was annotated with handwritten notes describing minor modifications to make the brownies a bit fudgier, or to have the cookies stay softer, even after cooling.
Baking enthusiasts continue to make these special, homemade memories long after they’ve left childhood.
I can’t say that I’ve become one of those enthusiasts, but I know many who have, and at this point, there’s a whole category of reality competition shows that exclusively feature amateur bakers.
There’s at least an impression that amateur baking is maintaining its popularity or even growing, and those competition shows have proven that it’s more than possible for amateur bakers to go professional if their skills are up to snuff.
This article is for all the home bakers out there who dream of turning their hobby into a career. Making that move isn’t easy, and not everyone will be able to keep up with the demands of baking at the professional level, but if you’re one of the ones willing to go the extra mile and learn plenty of new skills along the way, we want to cheer you on and offer some useful advice, courtesy of an expert baker.
Like many of the best bakers, Melanie Legoupil knew very early on that this was something she wanted to make her career.
“The first time I shaped dough into bread, I knew that I had found my vocation. Baking bread is very sensory and intuitive. I felt like there were so many possibilities that I could explore in baking.”
A little while later, Legoupil was working in her very first professional kitchen, for a small bakery in town.
“I had to mix the baguettes, shape them, and bake them. No mistakes were allowed!”
From there, Legoupil had years of hands-on experience working with various bakeries and restaurants, leading to her current job: Chef Baker for the Dinex Group, a family of restaurants from the visionary Chef Daniel Boulud.
Legoupil leads a team in the baking of all the bread and viennoiserie needed for the different Dinex Group restaurants throughout New York. She has a sterling reputation, and we’re so glad she was able to talk with us about her career and some of the pressures associated with that career and which amateur bakers might not be aware of yet.
So whether you’re an aspiring baker yourself or you know someone who has their sights set on those big ovens, come along for a fun and informative look at the life of a top-tier baker and what it takes to become one.
Growing through experience
Every career is a long string of experiences. Successful professionals in any industry are able to see each one of these experiences as an opportunity to learn and grow. This is a terribly important concept for amateur bakers looking to move to the next level.
In a very tangible sense, each recipe and each bake is an experiment of its own. When trying a new recipe in particular, you never quite know how it’s going to turn out, especially if you’ve made some minor substitutions or altered the bake time. Bakers will also know that each oven is different, making it even more important to pay close attention to what was tried and maybe even make some notes.
But looking past the surface-level tasks involved in baking, work experiences in baking can also shape someone in important ways.
Looking back on some of her past jobs, Legoupil commented on how challenges have actually made her a better baker.
“Each work experience made me grow and helped me get better. Different problems and situations teach you how to react and how to troubleshoot problems quickly. Over time, you become more efficient and skilled, and I guess it’s the same thing with life!”
This is also why it’s so important to know recipes and baking techniques inside and out before stepping into a professional kitchen. There are going to be problems at some point, and in that kind of environment, you don’t want to be questioning your own skills, looking instead for an explanation of why something went wrong and how it can be fixed as quickly as possible.
Like baking itself, working in a professional kitchen can be unpredictable, despite ample practice and planning.
We’re about to talk about professional kitchens in more detail, but all the while, remember that you need to be able to trust yourself while also staying open to new lessons and new opportunities. Every experience is a stepping stone on the path to professional success.
Home kitchen vs. pro kitchen
So what are some of the limits of only ever working in a home kitchen as opposed to a professional kitchen? Just how much can an amateur baker learn from the comfort of their own cooking space?
Well, quite a lot, actually, especially in terms of the more technical details and firsthand practice.
Legoupil:
“You can learn a lot at home, including the fermentation process and how to cultivate your own starter.”
But, of course, there are limits. Home baking is never going to perfectly replicate the experience of working in a professional atmosphere with professional equipment.
“Working in a professional kitchen takes your work to another level. For example, you’ll be using large mixers, large ovens, and producing large amounts of dough. You also have the opportunity to present your work to customers. People can taste and appreciate what you make for them, which is very rewarding.”
Both the challenges and the benefits are amplified in a professional setting, and going back to the idea of growing based on experience, professional baking, even at a small scale, includes so many important components, not the least of which is what Legoupil mentioned about sharing your work with the customer.
On the one hand, that means more pressure. There are customers waiting to taste your work, and they may not be kind. But if all goes well, then you’ll have the unique and fulfilling experience of watching someone’s face light up as they taste your pastries.
Building a brand
Ok, so let’s say that you’re a very skilled amateur baker. When you bring some treats to the local bake sale, they take the cake, so to speak. Your desserts are the highlight of family dinners.
So now what? Maybe you don’t quite feel confident enough to apply for a position at a bakery or a restaurant. You’re stuck in limbo, better than the average baker but not ready to make the leap.
In a case like this one, sharing your work on social media can be a great in-between step. You’ve no doubt heard of brand-building before. Well, it applies to you, too.
Even if viewers can’t taste your creations, they can still enjoy how lovely they all look. If your posts are impressive and you stick to a fairly consistent posting schedule, then you may find yourself developing a following.
It may feel intangible, but social media success can help boost your career, as well as your creativity.
Legoupil:
“Social media is a very useful tool. People have the opportunity to show the world what they can do and also get inspired by the work of others.”
Having a profile to point to can also be a big help when you finally decide to apply for professional positions.
You may not have years of professional experience, but at the very least you can show off your current skill level and get employers excited about your work.
Love what you do
We’re almost at the end of our little journey, but your journey is just beginning. I don’t want to give the impression that becoming a professional baker is easy. It isn’t, not even for the most skilled of amateurs.
But it can be done, and joining a competition show definitely isn’t the only way to do it. It’s going to take some very hard work, but with your passion leading the way, the journey will be that much easier, and Legoupil said as much.
“I never feel the need to look for outside sources of motivation. I love baking, I love what I do, and that keeps me motivated from day to day.”
If you love baking and you’ve put in the effort, then it’s just a matter of time before you can go pro.
Laila Azzahra is a professional writer and blogger that loves to write about technology, business, entertainment, science, and health.