Rise Up! The Baker Podcast With Mark Dyck

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