Building Blocks: Baking with Whole Grains

October 27 | 5-6 PM ET

Explore the foundations of whole grain baking in this informative one-hour webinar led by baker, artist, and educator Kathryn Phelan. Whole grain baking presents unique challenges and opportunities for professional bakers, and Katie will break down the science and techniques for a successful and consistent bake. 

The class begins with a look at the rising popularity of whole grain breads and why whole grains matter—both for nutrition and for flavor. You’ll learn the differences between whole grain, high-extraction, and refined flours, and examine how grain choice impacts dough rheology, process, and the qualities of the final product. Topics include:  

• Hydration, mixing, and fermentation strategies for whole grain doughs to achieve the type of bread you're looking to bake 

• How to read grain variances through test bakes, and how to translate the information into practice 

• Adjusting proofing and baking times 

• How whole grains influence flavor, texture, and crumb 

• Understanding how levels of glutenin vs gliadin proteins will influence the outcome of your dough 

You’ll leave with fresh techniques and new ways to bring out the best in whole grains. Whether you’re already working with whole grain formulas or just getting started, this session will sharpen your skills and expand your approach. 

This session is part of the Guild’s Building Blocks series and is free for Guild members. 

About the Instructor:

Katie Phelan is a baker, illustrator and educator with two decades of experience in the culinary world.  For the past 8 years, her focus has been centered on naturally leavened breads and grain varieties, and is passionate about supporting small farmers and local grain economies through research and education.  Her current home base is in Vermont, working at Elmore Mountain Bread.   

www.kathrynphelan.com 

The Baker’s Shelf: A Conversation with Arturo Enciso and Richard Miscovich

October 28 | 4-5 PM ET

Please join us for The Baker’s Shelf, a new Guild series celebrating books that shape the baking world — and the authors and bakers who bring them to life. 

For our first session, we welcome author and educator Richard Miscovich of Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI, and baker Arturo Enciso, co-owner of Gusto Bread in Los Angeles. This conversation is especially meaningful because Arturo’s path to baking began when he moved into a Long Beach rental with a dormant wood-fired oven in the backyard. Curious, he picked up Richard’s book From the Wood-Fired Oven: New and Traditional Techniques for Cooking and Baking with Fire (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2013) — and something clicked. With no formal training, Arturo taught himself to bake, pulling his first loaves from that backyard oven and discovering a lifelong calling. Today, Arturo is known for blending tradition and innovation, baking exclusively with sourdough to create breads that honor his heritage while embracing modern techniques. 

In his conversation with Arturo, Richard will reflect on the inspiration and process behind writing From the Wood-Fired Oven and discuss how the book’s techniques and formulas are finding a new audience 11 years later. Together, they’ll explore how books not only teach techniques but also ignite new paths, keeping baking traditions alive and evolving. This session will be facilitated by Arielle Stevenson, Communications Coordinator at the Bread Bakers Guild. 

Check out Arturo’s recent Guild Member Spotlight HERE.

Arturo Enciso 

Arturo is a self-taught baker and the founder of Gusto Bread, apanadería in Long Beach, California. What began as a small home-based operation has grown into a celebrated bakery dedicated to wild fermentation, using masa madre (sourdough) and nixtamal to create nourishing breads and pan dulces rooted in tradition. Arturo received the 2021 Rising Star Baker Award and Gusto Bread has been a two-time finalist for the James Beard Outstanding Bakery award. They've also been featured in The New York Times, King Arthur Baking, The Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. At the core of Arturo’s work is a strong belief in bread’s ability to connect people—bridging cultures, and communities. Through Gusto Bread, he honors tradition while shaping a more creative future for the next generation of bakers. 

Photo credit: Lorena Caro Photography

Richard Miscovich

Richard teaches artisan bread baking to culinary students at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, and to home and professional bakers at classes and conferences around the country. He served on the Board of Directors of The Bread Bakers Guild of America from 2006 to 2011. In 2014 he received the Johnson & Wales Distinguished Scholarship Award. He is the author of ‘From The Wood-Fired Oven’ and instructs the online Craftsy course, Handmade Sourdough: From Starter to Baked Loaf. 

November 10 / 5:00-6:00 pm ET 

Smarter Production with Sheeters 

A sheeter is indispensable for producing viennoiserie at scale—it saves time, reduces labor, and delivers a product that’s reliably consistent. From croissants and puff pastry to Danish doughs and beyond, a sheeter brings precision, uniformity and speed that hand-rolling simply cannot match.  

In this 60-minute webinar, Regional Sales Manager & Baker Wayne Riddle and Test Baker / Demonstrator John Ward of RONDO will present and demonstrate how a sheeter can transform your bakery’s production. You’ll learn:  

• How to evaluate and choose the right sheeter for your operation  

• How to scale up your process when using a sheeter for better efficiency  

• Key features, accessories, and cutting options that expand what’s possible with a sheeter 

The session also includes a live demonstration of RONDO’s sheeter technology, showcasing ease of operation and advanced functionality.  

Join us to see how the right sheeter can streamline production, support your team, and open new product opportunities for your bakery.

Presented in Partnership with   

About our Speakers:

John Ward began his baking career at acclaimed Houston café Pondicheri, under James Beard-nominated chef Anita Jaisinghani. Following this stimulating introduction to the bake life, he relocated to New York City to pursue his goal of working for the Dean of American chefs, Thomas Keller. In the bakery at three-Michelin star Per Se, he began to learn a highly detail-oriented way of working with the classic French baking repertoire. During his time with Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, Ward rose from entry-level to Head Baker of Per Se and the NYC Bouchon Bakeries. Following his time at TKRG, and with the onset of the COVID pandemic, Ward spent time in Cleveland, OH and Los Angeles, building and guiding programs through that challenging time. He then assumed the Director of Bakery Production role at Carissa’s in East Hampton, NY. During his time at Carissa’s, the bakery expanded into Sag Harbor and was consistently lauded for its exceptional bread and pastries. In addition to these positions, he has consulted for establishments across the country, from neighborhood bakeries to three-Michelin level groups, all properties beloved and acclaimed in their locales. John’s favorite thing about baking is the transcendence of many bakery products over the simplicity of their ingredients. 

Wayne Riddle, RONDO’s Northeast Regional Sales Manager, brings over 20 years of sales and management experience in the bakery industry. Wayne began his career as a Bakery Technician at Puratos where he developed a deep understanding of formulation and ingredient functionality. Wayne first joined RONDO as a Demonstrator where he refined his expertise in equipment and high-volume production skills. Following, he held leadership roles at Michel’s Bakery and Classic Cake in Philadelphia, where he was responsible for sales, product development, and general management. After five years away, Wayne returned to RONDO, bringing with him a wealth of industry knowledge and hands-on experience. 

December 1, 2025 | 5:00pm - 6:30pm ET | Via Zoom

Honey is a baker’s best friend—adding depth of flavor, boosting functionality in doughs and batters, and offering a natural story your customers will connect with. 

Join Keith Seiz from the National Honey Board to explore honey in all its forms. We’ll cover: 

• Varietals and flavor profiles 

• The bees and process behind honey production 

• Practical applications for baking 

Participants will receive a honey tasting kit to sample during the session (must register by November 14, 2025 to receive the kit). You’re welcome to join even without the kit. 

About the presenter:

For the last nine years, Keith Seiz has traveled the country helping food and beverage manufacturers use more honey in their products. It’s his passion, and one that has him working with companies ranging from retail bakers to craft breweries. Before working for the National Honey Board, Keith served as editor and associate publisher of a trade publication that covered the wholesale baking industry.

This session is presented in partnership with the National Honey Board. 

The National Honey Board (NHB) is an industry-funded agriculture research and promotion group, operating under USDA oversight, that works to increase the awareness and use of honey. Through research, marketing, and education, the NHB highlights honey’s benefits, supports bee health, and provides resources for both consumers and food professionals.

Craft • Culture • Careers• Community

Cake Decorating Skills for All Bakers

December 8 / 5PM - 6:30PM ET

The holidays are a prime opportunity to showcase festive cupcakes, cookies, and tarts—but producing polished decorations isn’t always easy without pastry training. This class will give you practical techniques that any bakery team can use to add visual appeal and value to your offerings. 

Join Dawn Konofaos of Alevrí & Co and Sourdough Heaux for an introduction to cake decorating that’s perfect for bakers of all levels. In this class, you'll learn how a few versatile piping tools can be used to create polished, bakery-ready decorations that you can adopt for the holidays—or use year-round to add value to your menus.  

This session centers on practical decorating methods that any baker can use. As a vegan baker, Dawn will be working with vegan-friendly formulas, but the techniques you’ll learn can be easily applied to any frosting, including traditional buttercreams. By the end of class, you’ll have the confidence to add stunning finishing touches to your baked goods.  

Check out our recent Guild Member Spotlight on Dawn. 

This is a virtual demonstration class with live Q&A. Dawn will be demonstrating techniques online via Zoom.   

Dawn Konofaos’s cakes look almost too beautiful to eat. Delicate wafer flowers, soft color palettes, and sculpted detail make each one feel like a small work of art. But this is more than decoration.
Dawn is a Black, Baltimore-born artist and self-taught cottage baker based in Tampa, Florida. Through her cottage operation, Alévri & Co., she creates plant-based sweets that are soulful, seasonal, and full of intention.
Her work feels ethereal. Frosting flows like brush strokes. Every element is placed with care. What she once did as a milliner—designing whimsical hats and bridal veils—she now does with sugar and flour.
Dawn bakes with her surroundings in mind. You’ll taste tropical notes like calamansi, bright citrus, and floral infusions in one season. Then rich Southern summer fruits—think peaches, blackberries, and figs—in the next. Her flavors reflect the world around her. Like a painter, she brings it all together with precision and feeling.
She often shares her creations at pop-ups hosted by Black Radish Bodega, a local vegan grocer and community space. Her work has been featured twice (here & here) in the New York Times, recognized for its visual beauty and technical mastery. Our friends at King Arthur even featured her technique on crumb-coating a triple-layer cake.
Beyond Alévri & Co., Dawn explores her more experimental and playful side with her side project, Sourdough Heaux, where she documents her love of sourdough fermentation, bold flavors, and doughnuts.

A Hearthside Chat with Lexie Smith

Free & For Members Only

December 9 / 7:00 - 8:00 pm ET

For our final Hearthside Chat of the year, we’ll be joined by Lexie Smith, artist, baker, and founder of Bread on Earth, an online archive and resource that documents breads from around the world and explores what they reveal about history, culture, and community. 

Currently based in upstate New York, Lexie’s path to bread began with an early love of baking and writing and a desire to understand the world through food. In this conversation, Karen Bornarth, the Guild’s Executive Director, will talk with Lexie about her journey from art to baking (and how these processes intertwine), the evolution of Bread on Earth, and the ongoing work of building and maintaining her online bread archive. We’ll also look at the ways bread continues to reflect the times we live in—from changes in how it’s made to the meanings people attach to it. 

Join us for a thoughtful conversation about creativity, curiosity, and the many ways bread continues to bring people together. 

Lexie Smith is a baker, writer, and the founder of Bread on Earth, an online resource for documenting and exploring bread and its implication in human culture. She lives and works in upstate New York.