Grocery Store bakery job - good or bad
I'm working part-time (pay is barely about minimum wage) the bakery department of a chain grocery store. Their philosophy is much different than mine, they are more about production and how much of this and that they sell, which is fine, and the rest isn't so important, which for me isn't fine. When I make a cake I put a lot of pride into it, I want the person I'm making it for to love it and I want to love it as well. I do understand the business side of things, that without sales there is no business but it can't be the only reason to be in the cake business, at least not for me.
My question is if this experience is beneficial or will it hurt me when I apply at a real bakery?
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Terry
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Katy Nott on
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lol Terry - I'm first to answer again!
Personally, I think it can only do you good. Provided that when you get to interview at a 'real' bakery, you are able to tell them that, whilst working at the grocery store gave you an insight into the financial side of things, it only increased your passion for doing caking with love and that you had trouble coming to terms with the 'bake em and sell em' kind of ethos.
I reckon that people that buy cakes from grocery stores are either too hard up to buy elsewhere or they don't really care whether the cake's any good or not, just so long as they meet the expectation of having cake. They are just not 'in to it', the way we are.
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Permalink Reply by June Kowalczyk on
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I believe anything you learn is beneficial Terry. You never know what nugget of knowledge you may store away for later. Any decorator will appreciate that you can ice a cake like a pro, lickity split. You can take your experience and build on it. You can also show potential employers your own cakes you have made. Shows your creativity. I have many in my family who prefer Costco cakes over my home baked & decorated!!! They grew up in homes where Mom never baked... or if they did it was strictly cake mix cakes. And like Katy said, sometimes it's all some can afford.
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Permalink Reply by Terry Bingham on
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Thanks Katy & June. Let me elaborate, the last time I actually decorated a cake was 10/10, unless you count the occasional writing "Happy Birthday Mom". They have scheduled me for closing ever since. I'm not involved with the ordering or financial end of things. My concern is that a real bakery will think I'm really good at buttercream, which is one the main reasons I took the job I the first place to get better at b/c, but since I haven't decorated any cakes in so long my b/c skills haven't improved. When I make cakes for family and friends they are fondant and gum paste.
I need to start going to bakeries in the area and see if I can find something better, this job is not what I had hoped or was told it would be.
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Well Terry, you never really lose a skill. It's like riding a bicycle, at first your rusty, then before you know it, it's like you never stopped. If you cover a styro dummy with fondant, you can practice your bc. You can still show the bakery your resume of cakes. Get out and apply, nothing ventured, nothing gained.... Especially if your not happy where you are.... :o)
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