A day in a life of Global Baker - Dean Brettschneider

Posted: 31/07/2009 4:42:09 p.m.

1st – 7th July Shanghai
Preparing for launch of Baker & Spice bakery in Shanghai…. Construction team said it was going to be 60 days to completion for the internal fit out! Are they crazy but I know its China and anything is possible so I go away happy than when I return at the end of July we will almost be there….. Let’s see!


7th – 14th July
Flew to Kuwait with my son Jason to do some work with Starbucks Alshaya Middle East on redefining their food range across the region, with first changes to take place in Kuwait and Dubai, this is with my corporate life with BakeMark. Was an interesting flight as we had to stop off in Bahrain which seems to be a hub for the Chinese Migrant workers to work in the Chinese owned oil fields…? I woke up on the flight thinking I was in a local Chinese village farmyard. Wow it was 51°C when we arrived at 10am in the morning, so quick stop off at the hotel then straight to work to get cracking on understanding their needs and work on concepts. The focus was to relaunch their food range with an exciting range of muffins, scones, doughnuts breads such as Ciabatta, Turkish Pide and wholegrain breads for their sandwiches. Discussions are underway to have a micro bakery under my influence at the Kuwait DEAN & DELUCA store in The Avenues Mall. Flew to Dubai and had a long cold beer there as Kuwait is a dry country. Repeated the worked done in Kuwait and set up preparations for the return implementation visit in mid August. Fitted in the sightseeing with Jason, this opened his eyes to the wealth in this region. Flew back to Kuwait to tidy up things there before jumping on a plane back to Shanghai to exchange bags and jump on a flight to NZ for the opening of Global Baker – Dean Brettschneider Zarbo Artisan Bakery!


15th – 27th July
Flew into Auckland to see how the plans for the micro bakery have been progressing with Mark @ Zarbo’s. I have said it before and I will say it again – Mark is visionary as he’s brought about and helped developing the food deli & café scene in NZ and with this foresight we have together brought the very best of artisan baking from the world to the door step of Auckland. So so many customers have said the breads are as good if not better than the ones they experience on their European holiday. I should hope so too as I have spend many years learning and perfecting the art of baking from all corners of the globe and to finally bring them to NZ. It’s not rocket science and if anyone takes the time to read any of my 5 published books they will see many of my basic recipes are in similar to that of the artisan bakery in Zarbo. There are three things that are important in baking and they are:
1. The hands
2. The mind
3. The Heart / Passion
With these 3 things anything is possible!!!


The opening went well and take a look at a few photo’s…… I big thanks to Mark, Jack, Olaf Blanke (the trust head baker), Caroline and the team of chefs and service staff for all the hard work they did pre launch and from now on I trust them 100% and so should you. Of course their menu will develop over time and I will be dropping in to ensure all is under control and even do some baking master classes to help lift the profile of baking. Nothing is a secret!


28th – 31st July
Tokyo for 4 days to present to Starbucks Japan….. the focus was breakfast offering and to transform their food range to become best in the market. Yes yes I know…. You all want to know when I will descend on the NZ Starbucks…. Well it’s not the main focus for me but trust me I am there in the background. Found some great French Bakeries as they seem popular here and there are many big Paris names here such as Eric Kayser of Masion Kayser and I have to say, Global Baker - Dean Brettschneider Zarbo Artisan Bakery is up there with the best in the world!

What a month……. And next month is not any better…. HK, Kuwait and Dubai and back to Shanghai and oh yes I am coming to NZ for the round Taupo Cycling Race in November with a Aussie and Danish friend, so we are busy training pretty hard in Shanghai on the flat motorways doing 250km a week or so. Its fun flying at 65km/hr behind a truck with absolutely no WOF bits falling off it…. Scary indeed but all part of living life on the edge.

Until next time….. Happy baking and do pop into Global Baker - Dean Brettschneider Zarbo Artisan Bakery in Newmarket Auckland for the best breads and baking experience in NZ!

Dean
http://www.globalbaker.com