4 answers
Taryn
Student
Palatine, Illinois
12
Questions
Asked
1016 views
How do I know if a baking career is for me?
I like to bake and I do believe what I make taste good yet I feel like I am not good enough to enter this career especially cause I hear if the product doesn’t look good they make employees throw them out.
#career #success #business
Login to comment
4 answers
Sophia Cofone
Risk Assurance and ESG Associate
22
Answers
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Sophia’s Answer
I think there are several different avenues you could pursue related to baking. You could open your own bakery, you could work in a restaurant specializing in baking/dessert, you could even go to baking/culinary school (patisserie school) to become certified and learn specific baking techniques. And within each of these paths are sub paths. It might not be reasonable to open a brick-and-mortar physical bakery, but you could easily create an online bakery through Instagram! You could even make youtube videos of your baking projects.
Like anything in life, you will have to work really hard to refine your skills. I wouldn't worry about your bakes being perfect right now. I would focus on practicing your baking, and start down a path that is most interesting to you. Interested in running a physical bakery? Maybe business school will help! Interested in running an online shop? Start posting your bakes on Instagram! Interested in working in a restaurant? Start working as a host/buss person and work your way up!
Like anything in life, you will have to work really hard to refine your skills. I wouldn't worry about your bakes being perfect right now. I would focus on practicing your baking, and start down a path that is most interesting to you. Interested in running a physical bakery? Maybe business school will help! Interested in running an online shop? Start posting your bakes on Instagram! Interested in working in a restaurant? Start working as a host/buss person and work your way up!
Julie Earsom
1
Answer
Updated
Julie’s Answer
Great questions! First of all, there are lots of baking/restaurant related job fields to choose from and deciding if it would be a career might be a little overwhelming. From my experience, baking is a true pleasure. I enjoy the process and pour my heart into making something that my family and friends will enjoy. However, as much as I enjoy it, I'm not sure that it would still hold the same joy and spark, if I had to do it for eight or more hours a day. So imagine yourself baking all day long and decide if you would rather bake for the enjoyment or for a career. If you're passionate about it, Go for it.
As for being "good" enough, there is nothing that replaces experience, so practice, practice, practice. Yes, many high-end restaurants want perfection in what is served, because visually appealing food is a big part of the dining experience. However, taste, texture and doneness is the foundation of good food. Learning to cook & bake can be a lifelong learning experience. Cooking and baking classes can be taken through tech schools, online, and culinary schools. If you truly decide to make a career of the food & beverage industry, I would highly recommend taking some formal classes of some type.
If you want to gain practice while you're still in school, start making cupcakes, cake balls, or something not too difficult. Perfect your technique, your recipe, and your "presentation" of your final product. Have your family & friends be your taste testers and give you honest feedback. Once you've mastered making a good product consistently, you could start taking orders for sales. Be sure to check out any licenses requirements, you may need in your city, county, state. Most states require a food handlers permit at the bare minimum.
Have fun with it! If you decide later to make it a hobby instead of career there's no shame in changing your mind.
Practice baking at home and learn all you can by watching cooking shows on TV, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.
Allow others to try your finished products for free with returned honest feed back. Be willing to receive negative comments without giving up. Don't take them personally, but learn from them.
Check for local & state requirements to sell homemade baked goods.
If you want to sell baked goods, take into consideration the cost of products: recipe ingredients, cake boxes, liners, and your time.
Practice make perfect. So don't give up if it's something you really want to do.
As for being "good" enough, there is nothing that replaces experience, so practice, practice, practice. Yes, many high-end restaurants want perfection in what is served, because visually appealing food is a big part of the dining experience. However, taste, texture and doneness is the foundation of good food. Learning to cook & bake can be a lifelong learning experience. Cooking and baking classes can be taken through tech schools, online, and culinary schools. If you truly decide to make a career of the food & beverage industry, I would highly recommend taking some formal classes of some type.
If you want to gain practice while you're still in school, start making cupcakes, cake balls, or something not too difficult. Perfect your technique, your recipe, and your "presentation" of your final product. Have your family & friends be your taste testers and give you honest feedback. Once you've mastered making a good product consistently, you could start taking orders for sales. Be sure to check out any licenses requirements, you may need in your city, county, state. Most states require a food handlers permit at the bare minimum.
Have fun with it! If you decide later to make it a hobby instead of career there's no shame in changing your mind.
Julie recommends the following next steps:
Rawan Harajli
Consultant
8
Answers
Beirut, Beirut Governorate, Lebanon
Updated
Rawan’s Answer
Hi Sophia,
You already mentioned that "I do believe what I make taste good" so I will assume the sentence stopped here. Yes YOU SHOULD BELIEVE IN YOURSELF FIRST otherwise no one will believe in you. If you like baking and you have the passion for it, then I am sure you're gonna succeed. No one is born with skills for all professions. You have to work hard, invest in learning the profession and believe in yourself. If you love what you make and you're sure they taste good, then I am sure many will find them SO GOOD too. I encourage you to push yourself to learn more about this domain, participate in some courses or workshops, watch videos and programs, do some trials at home, and even if you fail in the first second or third attempt, try to do some research, know your mistakes, and try again! (yes I am passionate about baking too:) ). Best of luck!
You already mentioned that "I do believe what I make taste good" so I will assume the sentence stopped here. Yes YOU SHOULD BELIEVE IN YOURSELF FIRST otherwise no one will believe in you. If you like baking and you have the passion for it, then I am sure you're gonna succeed. No one is born with skills for all professions. You have to work hard, invest in learning the profession and believe in yourself. If you love what you make and you're sure they taste good, then I am sure many will find them SO GOOD too. I encourage you to push yourself to learn more about this domain, participate in some courses or workshops, watch videos and programs, do some trials at home, and even if you fail in the first second or third attempt, try to do some research, know your mistakes, and try again! (yes I am passionate about baking too:) ). Best of luck!
Mauro Blardony
Recruiter
61
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Mauro’s Answer
Dont get discourage. Not everyone has the same taste and people that do throw out your food based on taste or look is 1 out of 6,000,000,000 people.
Overall, you have to see the bigger picture. Also maybe the market you are has the same taste as you, so it is easy to be criticized. Probably share that love with another market/demographic who dont understand or never knew such product existed.
best,
Overall, you have to see the bigger picture. Also maybe the market you are has the same taste as you, so it is easy to be criticized. Probably share that love with another market/demographic who dont understand or never knew such product existed.
best,