At my previous bakery I was responsible for daily sourdough production for the storefront and wholesale orders.

Create a consistent, high‑quality sourdough loaf while managing fermentation times and oven capacity.

I start by feeding the starter 12 hours before baking, calculate the dough weight based on order volume, mix the levain, autolyse the flour and water, add salt and levain, perform a series of stretch‑and‑folds during bulk fermentation, shape the loaves, proof in a refrigerated retarder, and bake on a pre‑heated stone with steam for 30 minutes.

The loaves achieved a 95 % sell‑through rate, received positive customer feedback for crust and crumb, and reduced waste by 10 % due to consistent sizing.

When developing a new croissant line, I evaluated both methods to improve flavor and lamination.

Compare the two methods and explain their impact on texture and flavor.

The straight dough method mixes all ingredients at once, resulting in a shorter preparation time but less flavor development. A preferment (like a poolish or sponge) is prepared hours ahead, allowing yeast activity to build flavor and improve gluten structure, which yields a more buttery, flaky crumb in laminated pastries.

Using a preferment increased the croissant’s flavor rating by 15 % in customer surveys and gave a more consistent lamination during baking.

During the holiday rush at a downtown bakery, the volume of orders doubled, increasing the risk of cross‑contamination.

Maintain strict food safety standards while keeping up with order speed.

I reinforced hand‑washing stations, instituted a color‑coded utensil system, performed hourly temperature checks on proofing cabinets, and assigned a dedicated safety monitor to verify that all staff followed the HACCP checklist before each shift.

We passed the surprise health inspection with zero violations and reduced product waste by 8 % due to proper temperature control.

During a morning prep shift I noticed an unusual odor in a batch of rye dough after a new delivery of flour arrived.

Determine if the dough is unsafe and prevent any contaminated product from reaching customers.

I immediately isolated the batch, stopped its use, notified the head baker, and conducted a visual and olfactory inspection. I traced the source to the flour bag, which showed signs of moisture damage. I documented the incident, discarded the batch, and contacted the supplier for a replacement while completing a corrective action report.

The potential contamination was averted, no customers were affected, and the supplier provided a fresh, certified‑grade flour shipment. Our incident log was updated, and the team reviewed storage procedures to prevent recurrence.

A regular customer complained that their custom birthday cake arrived dry and cracked.

Resolve the issue promptly and restore the customer’s confidence in our bakery.

I apologized, offered a fresh replacement cake at no charge, and invited the customer to the bakery to watch the decorating process. I also added a complimentary box of pastries as a goodwill gesture.

The customer accepted the new cake, praised the transparency, and placed a larger order for their next event, becoming a repeat client for the next six months.

During a Saturday morning shift we received a bulk catering order, had a scheduled oven cleaning, and were midway through a daily bread batch.

Organize the workflow to meet all deadlines without compromising quality or safety.

I delegated the dough monitoring to an experienced assistant, assigned another team member to start the oven cleaning after the current bake cycle, and communicated the catering timeline to the front‑of‑house staff. I then focused on finishing the catering prep while checking the dough’s proofing status.

All orders were completed on time, the oven cleaning was logged without interrupting baking, and the catering client gave us a 5‑star rating for punctuality.