bakingbuyer - November 2011 - 18

BREADWINNERS

Team USA Profile
Bread Bakers Guild Team USA was awarded first place for North and Central America in the Louis Lesaffre Cup, the prestigious international baking competition held in Las Vegas, NV, during IBIE 2010, the largest baking trade show in the United States. By winning this title, Bread Bakers Guild Team USA has secured a coveted place in the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (The World Cup of Baking), which will take place in Paris in 2012. Leading up to this event, Baking Buyer will profile one Team USA member in each issue this year. This month, we feature Roger Gural who competes in baguette and specialty breads. 1.) How did you get your start in baking? What are your fondest memories? I wanted to learn the real way to make pizza dough; this led to buying books, which got me into making bread at home. Finally, just to expand my hobby, which had become pretty serious, I decided to take the bread class at the French Culinary Institute. I found out about a job at a bakery near my house. My instructor, David Norman, encouraged me to check it out. Somehow I managed to get the job, and I changed careers. I was extremely fortunate because my first boss was an amazing baker from Toulouse, France. So right away it was apparent how deep and interesting the craft of baking is. 2.) Where do you work today and what do you like most about it? Currently, I’m an instructor at Hudson County Community College in New Jersey. I am also starting the preliminary planning to open my own small bakery. The discipline and problem solving skills that I have learned as a baker have really helped me in all aspects of my life. I like being able to share that with my students. 3.) What motivated you to become part of Bread Bakers Guild Team USA? Competitions help to train you to be more attentive to details and to become more efficient. It is also a place where you can be creative and do things that aren’t necessarily financially feasible in a regular bakery. 4.) What does it mean to you to be part of Bread Bakers Guild Team USA, and what influences do you hope you can have on the baking industry? I think craft bakers need to focus more time on figuring out how to get a fresh product to their customers. This would go a long way to generating excitement and passion for what makes a craft bakery different and special. At some point in the future I would like to work with farmers and millers to get better varieties of wheat grown in the U.S. The French seem to be way ahead of us in this area. 5.) What else are you working on? Learning basic woodworking. 6.) How heated is international competition? Is the spirit friendly? Are there rivalries? In my experience it was always a very wonderful and friendly spirit with no rivalries. Bread baking is not an easy career, so I think bakers don’t really have the opportunity to acquire big egos or become prima donnas. 7.) What country or countries represent the top competition at the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie? For a long time the US, France and Japan were a step above the rest of the competition, but this is starting to change as evidenced by the results last time. A lot of other countries are getting more organized, so now competition can come from many places. 8.) How do you prepare for competition as a member of Bread Bakers Guild Team USA? First, read the rules and base your training and all your ideas on solving the problems dictated by the rules. After that you can have a short period where you play around with possibilities to see if you can come up with something new and exciting. Then you refine to a high level and prove you can do it consistently. Finally, repeat your routine as much as possible and hope they don’t change the rules.

18 · BAKING BUYER · NOVEMBER 11

bakingbuyer - November 2011

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