Rise Up! The Baker Podcast with Mark Dyck

After many months away from the mic, Mark is finally publishing a 'lost episode' where he talks with his old buddy Nate Houge of Brake Bread in St. Paul, Minnesota. Nate wanted to hear the entire 'Mark the Baker' story in one go, and share that story in one place. Ever the contrarian, Mark got Nate talking about his life in Minnesota too. In this episode, two old friends catch up, discuss aging, family, musicals and lots and lots of baking, starting with Mark's first forays into brick ovens, right up to why personal growth and workshops like the Bakery Leadership Circle are so important. There is also talk about the fourth edition of Bakery Leadership Circle , launching in March, 2026! Helpful Links Brake Bread website @brakebread on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

After more than seven years and 220 episodes, it's time to draw a line under the Rise Up! Podcast. In this episode, Mark shares his reasons for stopping the show, discusses what is next for the podcast, Bakers4Bakers and his other baking passions, and reflects on the high points of over 200 hours worth of whole-hearted conversations. Helpful Links Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community The Bakery Leadership Circle Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

There are times when family is bigger than career and you need to figure things out. And often, bread and baking becomes the way forward. That's what happened to Mark Gavigan and Kristin Ryall, who gave up careers in the wine trade to relocate to Palm Springs to be closer to their family, and Mark fell into baking in a big way. In this episode, Mark, Kristin and your host Mark talk about the experience of giving it all up to move cross country, how baking started small and then grew and grew until they opened their brick and mortar location, and the challenging reality of baking in an extremely hot, extremely seasonal location. There is also talk about the Bakery Leadership Circle , Mark's new project offered via the BBGA Helpful Links Bread and Flours @breadandflours on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Arlo Brandl returns to Rise Up! after seven years, still in Tecumseh, Michigan but in a new location on the main street and with a brand new book! In this episode, Mark and Arlo talk about the big move to the main street, why baking alone still works best for him and his family, and they dig into Early Riser , Arlo's new memoir and recipe book. Just like his bakery, Arlo's book is a labour of love and true gift to his community and the baking community at large. There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle . Helpful Links Buy Early Riser on Amazon Tecumseh Bread & Pastry @tecumseh_bread_pastry on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Laura Fessenden dreamed of being a record executive, but food nosed ahead of music at Moxie Bread Co. in Boulder, Colorado. Starting as a barista, Laura took on more and more responsibility until her mentor and bakery founder Andy Clark died in 2022. Now the overall Director of Operations, Laura and her team are continuing Andy's legacy while building a business that works for everyone, well into the future. There is also mention of Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle and two new, excellent baking books: Flour is Flavour by Dawn Woodward and Early Riser by Arlo Brandl Helpful Links Moxie Bread Co. @moxiebreadco on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Kevin Masse started a small bakery in a small state, but he didn't stay small for long. These days, Small State Provisions has two locations in the Greater Hartford, CT area, is open seven days per week and is continuing to expand hours and flavours. In this episode, Kevin shares his journey from food writing to food making, the value of having a vision and a plan, and how it's impossible to shake a childhood dream of feeding people. And before all that, Mark goes on a bit of a rant, so be warned. 💖 There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle , offered through the Bread Baker's Guild of America Helpful Links Small State Provisions @smallstate on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Scott France travelled extensively before settling down in Seattle, starting in the food business and joining Macrina in 2016. Now he spends his days leading a team of over 200 employees and serving customers via six cafes and multiple wholesale accounts. In this episode, Mark and Scott talk about the value of world travel, especially for North Americans, how Macrina navigated the Covid pandemic and how they are now able to focus on their core goals and values in the years ahead. There's also some talk of the Bakery Leadership Circle , which is launching a new session in March. Apply now! Helpful Links Macrina Bakery @macrinabakery on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Travis Gerjets is back on the podcast and holy dinah, he's got a five year old bakery now! A coffee shop, cafe and airstream trailer full of awesomeness too. On this episode, Mark and Travis dig deep into the prairie baking mythos, talk about Prairie Sky Breads and the Minot food scene, about building a bakery that doesn't kill the baker, and embrace their shared love of amazing baking teams. There's also talk of The Bakery Leadership Circle , a leadership and change program for bakery owners and senior leaders, kicking off in March 2025. Apply now! Helpful Links Prairie Sky Breads @prairieskybreads on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Lisa and Nic Romano had careers in food and hospitality, and got into market baking so Nic could stay home with his young family. But when business took off and they had a chance for a Big Leap, they both dove in, taking over The Breadery in 2023. Now they are delivering wholesale bread around the state, running a full retail bakery (complete with olive oil tasting!) and are still attending four markets. In this episode, Mark learns more about the effort involved in taking over an existing bakery, merging two passionate customer bases together, and keeping the family intact and engaged in a massive bakery project. There is also the Bakery Leadership Circle , which is accepting applications for the Spring 2025 session! Helpful Links The Breadery @the_breadery on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Tim Kastner loves bread and he loves the solitude of bread baking. He also loves working at the Bread Lab, a wholesale bread bakery in St. Paul, Minnesota. In this episode, Tim shares the origins of the Bread Lab, springing up as part of Patisserie46, a fine pastry shop founded by master patissier John Kraus, and how his passion for baking makes the night shift a feature of the job, rather than a burden. There's also talk of Mark's new workshop, the Bakery Leadership Circle, which is opening applications for the Spring 2025 session on December 10! Helpful Links Patisserie46 / The Bread Lab @patisserie46 on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

When Chris DiPiazza needed a break from his IT business, he took a cooking class with a bread baker. That class opened up a portal that changed his life and career. From small beginnings, Chris slowly built up his wholesale business until opening Mighty Bread Co. in a small corner of a larger building in 2017. These days, his bakery is the main player in the building, as Chris and his team go from success to success. In this episode, Mark and Chris talk about how Chris' role has changed over the years, how they keep the team's creativity high and cohesion tight, and how he is revelling in connection with his neighbourhood and the robust food community in Philadelphia. There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle , which has a new session starting in the Spring 2025. Helpful Links Mighty Bread Co. @mightybreadco on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Erica Leahy was working in an office job when she realized she had missed her calling. So she gave up her stock options and health plan, left the office and set off for the life of a pastry chef. After unpaid internships, several stints baking for fine restaurants, finding her feet in a commissary kitchen and starting a family, she opened Three Daughters Baking Co. in 2018. In this episode, Mark and Erica talk about the people in her life that have been cheering her on (and pitching in) throughout Erica's baking career, and how she's put down deep roots over the past 16 years in South Orange. There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle , which has a new session starting in early 2025. Helpful Links Three Daughters Baking Co. @threedaughtersbaking2018 on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Gillian Lundgren was lured to the Bay Area by her favourite aunt and has never left. Through a long and varied career as a baker in San Francisco, from bakeries to pop ups, she founded Black Jet Baking Co. right down the block from where she got her start. She's putting down deep roots and making sure the people in her neighbourhood are well fed. In this episode, Mark and Gillian talk about both the need for and the short life span of Hustle, how Covid forced her bakery to flip from mostly wholesale to all retail, and how Gillian keeps her creative juices flowing in all aspects of her bakery. There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle , which will run again in 2025 Helpful Links Black Jet Baking Co. @blackjetbaker on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Carly Rossmeissl wants to experience everything baking has to offer. Since graduating from baking school she's travelled from New York to Austin to Wisconsin, working with bread, cakes, desserts and even stuffed pretzels. But her work keeps coming back to two things: solving problems and building strong, happy teams. In this episode we talk about Carly's long and winding journey in baking, with some trade union talk and even a detour into Halloween costumes as well. There is also talk about the Bakery Leadership Circle , which has a new session coming in 2025. Helpful Links Madison Sourdough @madisonsourdough on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

There's something special about small town bakeries. And when your bakery is on the main street of a small town in the heart of Sonoma, California and you're baking stellar bread from a massive brick oven, well, now you really have something special. Jessie Frost has all that and more. A native of the Sonoma area, she baked around the Bay Area before eventually taking over Nightingale Breads. In this fun, thoughtful episode, Mark and Jessie talk about her love of place, taking the plunge to owner her bakery during a time of turmoil and her slow, steady approach to making the bakery her own. There is also talk about the Bakery Leadership Circle , which has a new sessions coming up in the New Year. Helpful Links Nightingale Breads @nightingalebreads on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

When Mark Hart decided to go out on his own, he built a commercial baking space, but not for his own production baking. Instead, he and his partner Luis Cabral started Rise Baking Lab, a teaching and event space where they can share their love of baking with professional and amatuer bakers alike. In this episode, Mark and Luis share their vision for their new bread lab, the joys to teaching, and their growing consulting business, while discussing how there are so many ways to be a part of the baking industry without focusing on early morning production. There is also talk about Mark's new project, the Bakery Leadership Circle , which is offering a new session in early 2025. Helpful Links Rise Baking Lab @risebakinglab on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Jonathan Stevens new book, The Hungry Ghost Bread Book, is a throwback to the first wave of books on artisan baking in the 1990's. And for good reason, because Jonathan has been part of the North American bread scene from the very beginning. In this episode, Mark and Jonathan take a trip back to the early days in Northern California, figuring it out with Alan Scott, opening an opinionated bakery in Western Mass, telling stories, singing songs and writing poetry. And through it all, reconnecting to the power of feeding people good bread day after day. Helpful Links Buy Jonathan's Book via bookshop.org Hungry Ghost Bread @hungryghostbread on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Holly Showalter was a pastry chef in Virginia when the big skies of Montana came calling to her. After several years working different jobs and settling into the local community, Holly opened Wild Oats Baking. Now she's feeding the people and the people are fully embracing her and her food. In this episode, Mark and Holly talk a little about tiny houses, more about hiring from within a small town, and a lot about how serving the local community means bringing all your skills to bear on the things they want to eat. Helpful Links Wild Oats Baking website @wildoatsbaking on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Today Mark is joined by Karen Bornarth of the Bread Bakers Guild of America and Martin Barnett of the Baking Association of Canada to talk about the state of the baking industry in North America. They reflect on the success of two recent national meetings, discuss the range of benefits that nationwide education and advocacy can provide, ponder the implications of a $10 loaf of bread, and more. Helpful Links @breadbakersguild on Instagram @bacnational on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin

Once Lyndsey Bell realized that the corporate life was not for her, she and her partner Jay Valeri dove into the world of donuts and coffee. Since they found their sweet spot and opened Bigfoot Donuts seven years ago they have gone from strength to strength. In this episode, Mark, Lyndsey and Jay talk all things donuts and coffee, being able to take advantage of opportunities when they are presented, who exactly is going to drive their donut truck, and more. It's a fun talk with two hard working bakers. Helpful Links Bigfoot Donuts @bigfoot.donuts on Instagram Support the Podcast Here! Rise Up! The Baker Podcast website The Bakers4Bakers Community Mark's Blog, with the Bakernomics series Mark on Instagram Credits: Produced and hosted by Mark Dyck Theme song and music by Robyn Dyck Orange Boot Human logo by Fred Reibin