Rise Up! The Baker Podcast with Mark Dyck

Amy Halloran is a writer, teacher and activist who is digging deep into how local food economies can revitalize communities. And she's working hard to improve the situation in her home town of Troy, New York. Amy is the author of The New Bread Basket, which described the re-emergence of the local grain movement throughout the US - a movement which has continued to grow and build momentum. In this episode, Mark and Amy talk about how she got into writing and into bread, and the intricate...

So what style of baking do you do? What does that even mean? In this episode, Mark tries to unpack the answer to the question "What style of bread do you bake", the joys of baking during a heat wave and shares feedback on the Volker Baumann episode - from Volker. Plus, it's listener email time! Some links: Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Volker Baumann has helped hundreds and hundreds of bakers during his long career as a baker, bakery owner and renowned baking instructor. In this episode, Mark and Volker renew their friendship as Mark learns the bigger story of Volker's life in baking, from apprenticing in Germany to owning a bakery in Calgary, Alberta to his 25 year career as a Baking and Pastry instructor at SAIT. Retirement hasn't slowed Volker down one bit! Some links: Southern Alberta Institute of Technology...

Jim Williams and his wife Lynn own Seven Stars Bakery in Providence, Rhode Island and over the past 17 years have grown to three locations and an extremely cool side project too. In this episode, Mark and Jim talk about how he started as a baker in California, moved to Rhode Island to help Lynn start Seven Stars and the fun and challenges of expanding over the years. They also talk about Jim's renewed interest in single varietal, fresh milled flour and how that spawned Backdoor...

Dan Rivera and his wife Kim travelled far and wide to get their baking education, before moving back to the US and settling in upstate New York. As they slowly rebuild their 80 acre farm, their bakery The Breadery is popping up at markets from Westboro to Lake Placid. In this episode, Dan shares his travel tales, talks about meeting 'his people' at the Maine Kneading Conference, building his brick oven and baking for six markets each week. Some links: Triple Green Jade Farm...

Peiwen Lee is the head baker at Hot Bread Kitchen in New York City. It's a bakery with a social mission in addition to the amazing bread and pastries they make every day. They are proof that bakeries provide benefits to society well beyond a loaf of bread. In this episode, Mark learns about Peiwen's baking journey from Singapore to New York and the important, empowering role Hot Bread Kitchen is filling for immigrant women in New York. Some links: Hot Bread Kitchen...

In the middle of a road trip to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Mark springs the microphone on his wife and baking partner Cindy. While admiring the green crops and dodging white tailed deer, Cindy shares her favourite stories about owning Orange Boot Bakery. Listen in to hear how it's always possible to pack a little more into the day's production, the joy of working with a team of energetic bakers, and what it means to truly connect with your customers. Some links: The Great Oven Move...

Rhonda knew she wanted a life of feeding others from her time volunteering with Americorps. But she never imagined how in a few years she'd go from bakery owner to a linchpin of her local grain economy. In this episode, Mark and Rhonda talk about how Beck's Bakery got its start, how the first thing she did as a baker was find a farmer and how she's figuring out how to transition her business to include more employee ownership. Some links: Beck's Bakery Website @becksbakery on...

Troy DeRego knew that opening a retail bakery in a small Mississippi college town would be a challenge. But his quest to provide nourishment for his community was worth struggling for. In this episode, Mark and Troy talk about how Troy looked at the unique challenges of a small town artisan bread bakery and, one by one, found a solution that just might work. And guaranteed, it's a solution that tastes amazing. Some links: DeRego's Website @deregos.crackers on Instagram Rise Up! The...

In addition to being an organic farmer, Tristan Noyes is the executive director of the Maine Grain Alliance. That's the people behind the renowned Kneading Conference, the Artisan Bread Fair and other important programs. In this episode, Mark and Tristan talk about the resurgence of grain farming in Maine and New England and how it requires effort and cooperation through the entire food cycle. They also discuss millers, bakers, brewers, locavores and what local food independence is all...

Jennifer Vialette has been on the road for a long time. For the past 17 months, she's been doing stages at bakeries big and small, from sea to sea, in Canada and the USA. In this episode, Mark and Jennifer talk about how she started on this adventure, some of the ultra-cool bakeries where she's spent time at the bench and how she can afford to spend nearly two years working for free without panhandling or committing petty theft. All in the name of learning and being part of the baking...

After 18 months of working around the clock, Arlo Brandl decided to remake Tecumseh Bread and Pastry into a one man shop. Right in his back yard. And so far, it seems to be working. In this episode, Mark and Arlo talk about the decision to settle in the small town of Tecumseh, Michigan and the even bigger decision to close his retail bakery and get smaller. And how the changes are bringing Arlo even closer to his customers. Don't forget to subscribe to the show! Some links: Tecumseh...

Everyone makes mistakes. Hopefully, after the initial fury or embarrassment subsides, we can laugh at our biggest mistakes and learn from them. That's the hope anyway. In this episode, Mark deals with the sadness over messing up the recording of his favourite Baker Chat to date. To avoid dwelling on this technology mistake, Mark shares his biggest ever baking mistakes. From exploding dough to exploding mothers of the bride, he puts the adage "misery loves company" to the test. Don't...

When Andy Wysocki settled down in Palm Springs, California, he was a freelance computer programmer. Then he started taking fresh bagels to his morning coffee buddies and everything changed. Now Andy and his partner Bill own Townie Bagels, a cute little bagel shop and cafe that locals love and tourists love to discover. In this episode, Mark and Andy talk about what it's like to open a bagel shop in the middle of the desert, the generosity of Guild Bakers, how the "townies" keep him going...

Carolyn Doyle was looking for something to do when she wasn't rafting. She started making bagels and the rest is history. Carolyn owns Big Bang Bagels, a cozy, warm and extremely tasty bagel shop in Fernie, British Columbia. It's the perfect place to hang out and wile away the day, except that it lies in the shadows of one of the best ski hills in the Rocky Mountains. Mark and Carolyn discuss her journey, finding time to raise a family along with the business, and some of the unique...

Daisy Chow is a real pro. After 12 years as a baker at the renowned Clear Flour Bread in Boston, she is slowly but surely developing her own thing, Breadboard Bakery. Even if that means bringing Texas kolaches to New England. Don't forget to subscribe to the show! Some links: Breadboard Bakery Website @breadboard_bakery on Instagram Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot...

As if baking bread for a living wasn't hard enough, Nate Houge decided to deliver his bread on a bicycle. In St. Paul Minnesota. Year Round. Mark and Nate talk about their time together at WheatStalk 2018, building and maintaining a tiny bakery and putting down deep roots in a neighbourhood. And delivering on a bike, of course! Don't forget to subscribe to the show! Some links: Brake Bread in St. Paul @brakebread on Instagram Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website Mark on...

Josie Rudderham is co-owner of Cake & Loaf bakery in Hamilton, Ontario. In this episode of Rise Up!, Mark and Josie discuss the craziness of holiday baking, how Josie and her partner Nicky got started baking in her home kitchen and how Cake and Loaf has grown to where their entire staff is paid a living wage. Links: Cake & Loaf Bakery: http://cakeandloaf.ca The Rise Up Podcast: http://riseuppod.com Show music by Robyn Dyck The Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Mark's friend Patti Hollenberg is this week's guest on Rise Up! Patti was the first full time bread baker Mark hired at his bakery, but her true gifts lie in fancy and delicious pastries. Patti's bakery, Chess Piece Patisserie in Fredricton, New Brunswick is bringing taste and charm to the main street in town and keeping Patti really, really busy. It was a long and winding journey from Miramichi, NB to Chess Piece Patisserie, as Mark discovers. Don't forget to subscribe to the...

Mark's friend and bread baking hero Tracey Muzzolini is the first ever guest on Rise Up! Not only is her bakery (Christie's Mayfair Bakery in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) the epitome of a vibrant, family owned bakery, but Tracey is an internationally renowned bread baker in her own right. But as Mark learns, when she was young, the last thing Tracey wanted to be was a baker. What changed to set her on this incredible journey? Don't forget to subscribe to the show!