Blogs

Why Competition Builds Better Bakers

By Business of Baking Blog posted 2 days ago
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Why Competition Builds Better Bakers By: Kimberly I. Houston, Member Experience Director, Retail Bakers of America For many bakers, the word competition brings to mind medals, trophies, and elaborate showpieces. It can feel like something reserved for elite pastry chefs or professionals pursuing industry recognition. In reality, competitions offer something far more valuable than awards. They create an environment where bakers develop the habits, discipline, and confidence that carry into every aspect of their careers. Whether you're a student entering your first competition or a seasoned bakery owner looking to sharpen your skills, the lessons learned ...
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5 Ways to Increase Your Average Ticket (Without Raising Prices or Losing Customers)

By Business of Baking Blog posted 5 days ago
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5 Ways to Increase Your Average Ticket (Without Raising Prices or Losing Customers) When bakery owners want to increase sales, the first instinct is often to bring in more customers. While attracting new business is always important, it isn't always the fastest—or most cost-effective—way to grow revenue. Sometimes the biggest opportunity is already walking through your front door. One of the simplest ways to improve profitability is by increasing your average ticket , or the average amount each customer spends during a single transaction. Even a small increase in average ticket can have a significant impact on your monthly revenue without requiring ...
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2026 Wedding Cake Trends Every Bakery Should Know

By Business of Baking Blog posted 5 days ago
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2026 Wedding Cake Trends Every Bakery Should Know Wedding season has a way of sneaking up on bakeries. One month you're fielding a few consultation requests. The next, you're booked solid and if your sample cakes, portfolio photos, and menu language are still showing last year's trends, you're leaving bookings on the table before a bride even walks through your door. The good news: 2026's wedding cake trends aren't a total reinvention. Many of them build on techniques your team may already know, just styled, textured, or scaled differently than a few years ago. Here's what's actually driving requests this year and what it means for how you prepare, ...
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From Sugar Flowers to Sweet Success with Julia Fedorova

By Business of Baking Blog posted 16 days ago
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From Sugar Flowers to Sweet Success: A Conversation with Julia Fedorova What does it take to build an internationally recognized career in cake artistry when you're starting from scratch? For Julia Fedorova, it started with a dream, a willingness to learn, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. In the latest episode of The Perfect Rise , Kimberly I Houston sat down with the award-winning sugar artist, educator, author, and founder of Sweet Art Master to discuss her remarkable journey from immigrant to industry leader. When Julia arrived in the United States in 2015, she didn't speak English and had no experience in the cake industry. Inspired ...
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The Future of Pastry Still Belongs to Craftspeople

By Kimberly Houston posted 05-29-2026
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The Next Generation of Bakers Didn’t Learn the Same Way We Did The baking industry is facing a challenge few people are talking about honestly enough. Today’s young culinary professionals are entering kitchens with talent, creativity, and passion—but many are missing foundational communication and workplace skills previous generations learned naturally along the way. And according to Kristen Egan , the issue isn’t laziness. It’s a developmental disruption. On a recent episode of The Perfect Rise , Chef Egan joined Kimberly Houston for a conversation that evolved far beyond pastry. What started as a discussion about fine dining and culinary education ...
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When Innovation Meets Tradition: How Olmo Bagels Is Redefining the Modern Bagel

By Kimberly Houston posted 05-14-2026
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When Innovation Meets Tradition: How Olmo Bagels Is Redefining the Modern Bagel There are certain foods in the baking world that come with deeply rooted expectations. Bagels are one of them. For decades, the process has remained largely untouched: boil, seed, bake, repeat. It is a tradition many bakers protect fiercely. But in a rapidly evolving industry where labor challenges, operational efficiency, consistency, and workplace culture matter more than ever, some bakery owners are beginning to ask an important question: What happens when innovation improves the process without compromising the product? That question sits at the center of the latest episode ...
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From Corporate Burnout to Bakery Ownership: The Story Behind Alchemy Bake Lab

By Business of Baking Blog posted 05-01-2026
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A Conversation with Kady Miller on Building, Scaling, and Leading with Intention At IBIE last year, Kady Miller’s name came up as the winner of our scavenger hunt. It was a fun moment—one of many that happen when you bring passionate people in this industry together. But after sitting down with her for this conversation, it became clear that what she’s built with Alchemy Bake Lab goes far beyond a single moment or recognition. Her story offers a layered look at what it actually takes to build and sustain a bakery business today—one that blends creativity, operational strategy, and leadership in equal measure. Building a Foundation Beyond the ...
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When Precision Meets Passion: Rethinking the Path to a Sustainable Bakery Business

By Business of Baking Blog posted 04-17-2026
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When Precision Meets Passion: Rethinking the Path to a Sustainable Bakery Business There is a familiar narrative in the baking industry—one rooted in passion, creativity, and the desire to turn something handmade into something meaningful. But what often goes unspoken is the structure required to sustain that passion over time. In this episode of The Perfect Rise , Rachel Liu Martindale offers a perspective that challenges the romanticized version of bakery ownership and replaces it with something far more valuable: clarity. Before stepping into the world of baking full-time, Rachel built her career in engineering. It was a path defined by stability, logic, ...
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Leading Through Uncertainty: What Martin Barnett Reveals About the Future of Baking

By Business of Baking Blog posted 04-02-2026
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There are moments in an industry that quietly redefine everything. Not through headlines or announcements—but through the decisions made behind the scenes, often under pressure, often without a clear roadmap. For the baking industry, one of those moments came in the wake of the pandemic. And for Martin Barnett , it became a defining chapter of leadership. In this episode of The Perfect Rise , Martin shares what it looked like to step into the role of Executive Director of the Baking Association of Canada during a time of uncertainty—what was meant to be a temporary position that ultimately became years of guiding the organization through ...
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The Business of Flour: Nancy Muller on Relationships, Consistency, and Legacy

By Business of Baking Blog posted 03-20-2026
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Why Flour Consistency Matters More Than Most Bakers Realize In the baking industry, flour is often treated as a commodity—something purchased by the pallet, priced by the bag, and rarely discussed beyond cost. But according to Nancy Muller, a foodservice professional with more than 30 years in the industry, flour may be one of the most strategic decisions a bakery makes. Muller recently joined Kimberly Houston on The Perfect Rise podcast to talk about the Business of Baking from a perspective many operators don’t often hear: the ingredient side of the industry. While Muller works closely with retail bakeries, restaurant chains, and hospitality groups ...
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From Family Bakery to Industry Leadership: Lynn Schurman of Cold Spring Bakery

By Business of Baking Blog posted 03-05-2026
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From Family Bakery to Industry Leadership: Lynn Schurman of Cold Spring Bakery For nearly eight decades, Cold Spring Bakery has been part of the fabric of central Minnesota. Founded in 1946 by Mel and Floss Schurman after Mel learned baking while serving in the Navy during World War II, the bakery began as a small family business rooted in craftsmanship and community service. Today, that legacy continues under the leadership of Lynn and Dale Schurman , who purchased the business in 1986 and transformed it into a thriving retail and wholesale operation. When Lynn joined the bakery, her background was actually in psychology and community counseling. ...
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Beyond the Recipe: Why Profit Literacy Is the Missing Skill in Baking Education

By Business of Baking Blog posted 02-06-2026
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Most bakers are taught how to perfect a product—but very few are taught how to protect the business behind it. It’s a gap Chad Ecklof knows well. As the third-generation owner of Ecklof Bakery , Chad grew up immersed in craft, consistency, and tradition. What became clear over time, however, was that craftsmanship alone isn’t what determines whether a bakery survives. “Most bakeries don’t fail because the product isn’t good,” Chad explains. “They fail because the numbers were never clear.” The Problem Isn’t Passion—It’s Visibility Across the industry, bakery owners are navigating rising ingredient costs, labor pressures, and customer price ...
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Spotlight: Colette Christian on Mastery, Certification, and Career Longevity

By Business of Baking Blog posted 01-23-2026
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In this episode of The Perfect Rise , RBA sat down with Colette Christian , chef, educator, and multi-certified baking professional, to explore what it truly takes to build a long, sustainable career in the baking and pastry industry. Colette’s journey began early—entering professional kitchens at just 14 years old—and has spanned hotels, high-volume production, business ownership, and culinary education. Throughout the conversation, one theme remained consistent: mastery is earned through repetition, discipline, and a willingness to take on responsibility before recognition. A central focus of the discussion was the role of certification in ...
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Buddy Valastro on Retail Bakeries, Leadership, and Why Community Still Matters

By Business of Baking Blog posted 01-08-2026
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When people hear the name Buddy Valastro , the first thing that often comes to mind is television. But for the Retail Bakers of America, Buddy’s story starts somewhere else entirely: on the bakery floor. In a recent episode of The Perfect Rise: Conversations with the Retail Bakers of America , Buddy joined host Chef Kimberly Houston for a grounded conversation focused not on fame—but on the realities of owning, operating, and sustaining a retail bakery in today’s market. A Full-Circle Relationship With RBA Buddy’s connection to the Retail Bakers of America goes back decades—long before Cake Boss ever aired. He recalls attending RBA ...
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Where Creativity Meets Chemistry: Kelly DeFusco’s Unexpected Path Into Bakery Science

By Business of Baking Blog posted 12-12-2025
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Most bakers imagine their careers inside a kitchen—but Principal Bakery Scientist Kelly DeFusco proves that the baking industry stretches far beyond the bench. With a 34-year career in the flavor world and nearly two decades at Tastepoint by IFF, Kelly has built a life at the intersection of creativity, chemistry, and innovation. In the latest episode of The Perfect Rise , Kelly joins host Kimberly Houston to share how a childhood spent baking alongside her mother, a family restaurant, and one unexpected phone call set her on a trajectory few culinary students ever learn exists—one where food science becomes a playground for possibility. Kelly ...
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RBA at Bagelfest: A Weekend of Connection, Curiosity, and Community for Bagel Makers Everywhere

By Business of Baking Blog posted 11-18-2025
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Bagelfest 2025 reminded us exactly why the baking industry is built on community. As the RBA continues deepening our presence at national events, this year’s festival at Citi Field gave us the clearest picture yet of what bakers need, what they’re talking about, and where the energy is pointing next. The Industry Talks were a standout highlight. These conversations didn’t shy away from the real challenges bakery owners face—staffing gaps, cost pressures, maintaining quality at scale, and keeping the community at the center of growth. Panelists were transparent, generous, and engaging, and the discussions sparked the kind of curiosity we love to see ...
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The Perfect Rise Podcast: Icing Smiles — Turning Compassion Into Cake

By Business of Baking Blog posted 11-13-2025
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In this episode of The Perfect Rise , host Chef Kimberly Houston sits down with Tracy Quisenberry , founder of Icing Smiles , a nonprofit organization connecting volunteer bakers with families who have children facing critical illness. What began as a simple act of love—a homemade cake for her son—has grown into a nationwide movement fueled by generosity, purpose, and faith. Tracy’s journey didn’t start in the kitchen. Before founding Icing Smiles , she worked in the corporate world as a tax professional. But after her two children were born prematurely, she experienced firsthand the uncertainty and exhaustion many medical parents know too ...
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Building Healthier Kitchens: A Conversation with CHOW

By Business of Baking Blog posted 10-30-2025
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Building Healthier Kitchens: A Conversation with CHOW By Chef Kimberly Houston Events & Engagement Manager, Retail Bakers of America Why This Conversation Matters In the baking and hospitality world, we’re taught to serve others first. But what happens when the people doing the serving are running on empty? That’s the question behind CHOW — Culinary Hospitality Outreach and Wellness , a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting mental health and wellness within the hospitality industry. CHOW believes that creating healthier kitchens starts with honest conversations — the kind that remind us we’re all human beneath the chef coats ...
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Spotlight: Chef Cody Middleton — Teaching Mastery with Humility

By Business of Baking Blog posted 10-16-2025
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When you listen to Chef Cody Middleton speak about baking, you can tell right away that mastery isn’t just a goal for him — it’s a standard he holds himself to daily, and a value he passes on to every student who walks through his classroom doors. As the Professor and Department Head of Baking & Pastry at the International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach (HGTC) , Chef Cody has built his career around excellence, integrity, and education. But like many great chefs, his path to pastry wasn’t perfectly planned. “I didn’t grow up knowing I wanted to be a pastry chef,” he laughs in his recent Perfect Rise interview. “But I loved the science ...
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Conversations with Chef Matthew Ratliff, building a career on excellence.

By Business of Baking Blog posted 10-02-2025
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From five-star resorts to Food Network competitions, Executive Pastry Chef Matthew Ratliff has built a career defined by artistry, discipline, and dedication to the craft. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Ratliff has spent decades learning from some of the best in the world — including three of the four Certified Master Pastry Chefs in the United States. A Career Built on Excellence Chef Ratliff began his journey at the CIA in Hyde Park, New York, where his passion for pastry quickly took root. After completing a fellowship as a teaching assistant, he went on to sharpen his skills in world-class kitchens such as the Ritz Carlton in ...
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