The Perfect Rise: Conversations with RBA

What does it take to build a better bakery without sacrificing the craftsmanship that makes it special?

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, host Kimberly Houston welcomes Alex Dufaur, Bakery Specialist in Research and Development at Lesaffre, for a conversation about leadership, innovation, and the evolving business of baking.

Alex's journey is anything but conventional. From a background in performing arts and Michelin-starred hospitality in France to leading artisan and large-scale bakery operations in the United States, his career has been shaped by curiosity, mentorship, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Together, Kimberly and Alex explore the challenges facing today's bakery owners, including skilled labor shortages, production inefficiencies, waste management, and maintaining consistent quality. Alex shares how bakeries can apply lessons from larger operations to streamline production, support their teams, and improve profitability while preserving their artisan identity.

The conversation also explores the science behind baking innovation, including how functional ingredients, fermentation techniques, and smarter production systems can help bakeries work more efficiently.

Finally, Alex discusses the importance of continuing education, the mentors who shaped his career, and why preserving industry knowledge is essential for the next generation of baking professionals.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How Alex transitioned from performing arts and fine dining to professional baking and research.
• Why successful bakery leadership is about developing people, not just perfecting products.
• Practical ways independent bakeries can improve production efficiency and reduce waste.
• How baking science and functional ingredients can support consistency and craftsmanship.
• Why mentorship and continuing education are essential to the future of the baking industry.

This episode is sponsored by Lesaffre, a valued supporter of the Retail Bakers of America and the RBA Learning Portal, Powered by Lesaffre.

Explore educational resources, professional development opportunities, and RBA membership at retailbakersofamerica.org.

The Perfect Rise is the official podcast of the Retail Bakers of America, featuring the people, ideas, and conversations shaping the future of the baking industry.

Evergreen mid-roll promoting Retail Bakers of America membership. Highlights RBA’s education, industry resources, and professional community, with a call to learn more at RetailBakersofAmerica.org.

Evergreen closing message for The Perfect Rise. Thanks listeners for tuning in, encourages them to follow and share the podcast, and directs bakery professionals to RetailBakersofAmerica.org to learn more about RBA membership and resources.

An exceptional product is only the beginning. What does it take to manufacture it, get it to customers, and build a business that makes money?

Recorded live at PastryCon, this episode of The Perfect Rise features Chef En-Ming Hsu, world champion pastry chef and founder of Sip! Extraordinary Drinking Chocolate. She joins host Chef Kimberly Houston for a candid conversation about moving from acclaimed pastry kitchens and a successful consulting career into the realities of owning a packaged food business.

En-Ming shares how a pandemic pivot became a business now driven largely by wholesale, and why that growth brings decisions about manufacturing minimums, inventory, packaging, freight, and where to focus her time. She also discusses protecting her product standards, developing multiple uses for a seasonal offering, and balancing customer requests with what the business can realistically support.

For bakery owners considering wholesale, packaged products, or another revenue stream, this conversation offers an honest look at the work behind expansion and the importance of asking for help along the way.

In this episode:
• Moving from e-commerce into wholesale and food service
• Working with co-manufacturers and managing production minimums
• Balancing ingredient standards, costs, and customer expectations
• Using pre-orders to support inventory planning
• Accounting for freight and distribution when expanding
• Finding business support through mentors and small business resources
• Deciding what to stop doing so a growing business gets the attention it needs

Explore Sip! Extraordinary Drinking Chocolate:
https://sipextraordinary.com

Learn more about Retail Bakers of America:
https://retailbakersofamerica.org

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

SCORE business mentoring SCORE

U.S. Small Business Administration resources and local assistance sba.gov

SAM.gov entity registration 

Evergreen mid-roll promoting Retail Bakers of America membership. Highlights RBA’s education, industry resources, and professional community, with a call to learn more at RetailBakersofAmerica.org.

Evergreen closing message for The Perfect Rise. Thanks listeners for tuning in, encourages them to follow and share the podcast, and directs bakery professionals to RetailBakersofAmerica.org to learn more about RBA membership and resources.

What does it take to transform baking skill into a business that can grow, endure, and eventually operate beyond its founder?

Matt D’Agostino is a Certified Master Baker, former president of the Retail Bakers of America, and former owner of La Bonbonniere Bake Shoppes, now Labon Bake Shoppes, in central New Jersey. During more than 45 years in retail baking, Matt worked his way from dishwasher and apprentice to baker, decorator, general manager, CEO, and board chairman. At its height, the family business operated 10 locations and employed approximately 130 people.

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Matt shares how his family’s baking legacy began, what opening a second location taught him about systems and leadership, and why centralized production became essential to maintaining quality across multiple stores. He also explains how middle management gave him room to lead strategically, why protecting company culture led him to reduce the number of locations, and how reviewing a five-year plan annually kept the bakery moving forward.

The conversation also explores the development of RBA’s Certified Master Baker program, Matt’s early attempt to bring the baking industry into the virtual world, the professional value of industry service, and the role SkillsUSA plays in preparing the next generation. Matt closes with a vital lesson for bakery owners: building a sustainable company requires understanding financial performance, developing capable people, and creating a business that does not depend entirely on the owner’s hands.

Whether you are building your first bakery, expanding to multiple locations, preparing the next generation, or considering your eventual exit, this episode offers hard-earned wisdom about profitability, leadership, succession, and legacy.

Evergreen mid-roll promoting Retail Bakers of America membership. Highlights RBA’s education, industry resources, and professional community, with a call to learn more at RetailBakersofAmerica.org.

Evergreen closing message for The Perfect Rise. Thanks listeners for tuning in, encourages them to follow and share the podcast, and directs bakery professionals to RetailBakersofAmerica.org to learn more about RBA membership and resources.

Millions of social media views may generate attention, but attention alone does not create book sales, sold-out tours, or a lasting business. Coinneach MacLeod, internationally bestselling author and the personality behind the Hebridean Baker, has built a global brand by remaining rooted in the recipes, language, folklore, and everyday life of Scotland’s Outer Hebrides.

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Coinneach joins host Kimberly Houston to discuss how creators can turn an online audience into a genuine community. He explains why being niche is an advantage, how storytelling moves people from digital content to live experiences, and why consistency and familiarity are essential when building a recognizable brand.

Coinneach also shares what changed when his work expanded from social media into publishing and television, how he evaluates commercial partnerships, and why accepting an off-brand opportunity is rarely worth the money. He even offers an exclusive first look at his fifth cookbook, A Scottish Christmas.

Whether you are building a bakery, developing a personal brand, or sharing traditions from your own family and community, this conversation offers an honest look at creating meaningful growth without becoming broader, more generic, or disconnected from what made people care.

Evergreen mid-roll promoting Retail Bakers of America membership. Highlights RBA’s education, industry resources, and professional community, with a call to learn more at RetailBakersofAmerica.org.

Evergreen closing message for The Perfect Rise. Thanks listeners for tuning in, encourages them to follow and share the podcast, and directs bakery professionals to RetailBakersofAmerica.org to learn more about RBA membership and resources.

Growth rarely happens exactly as planned, especially when you are responsible for carrying a family legacy forward.

In this episode, Kimberly Houston speaks with Max Jacobson-Fried, Managing Partner of Freed’s Bakery, a third-generation Las Vegas bakery founded in 1959. Max shares how an unsuccessful expansion reshaped his approach to leadership, communication, delegation, and operational growth.

They explore what must be in place before opening another location, how technology can protect quality across a growing company, and why leaders must create systems that allow decisions to happen without them. Max also discusses Freed’s expansion into major Las Vegas venues, the challenges of nationwide cake shipping, and the difference between preserving a company’s legacy and refusing to evolve.

This is a candid conversation about mistakes, resilience, and building a business that can grow beyond any one person while remaining grounded in quality, service, and respect.

Book Mentioned in the Episode: Unreasonable Hospitality 

Evergreen mid-roll promoting Retail Bakers of America membership. Highlights RBA’s education, industry resources, and professional community, with a call to learn more at RetailBakersofAmerica.org.

Evergreen closing message for The Perfect Rise. Thanks listeners for tuning in, encourages them to follow and share the podcast, and directs bakery professionals to RetailBakersofAmerica.org to learn more about RBA membership and resources.

What does it really take to earn the title of Certified Master Baker, and what can the credential unlock in a baker’s career? 

In this encore episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly Houston speaks with Chef LeAnn Adams, CMB, about one of the baking industry’s most respected professional certifications. Chef LeAnn shares her journey to becoming a Certified Master Baker, the intense preparation required for the practical exam, and why even highly experienced bakers must stretch beyond their specialties to succeed. 

The conversation also explores the career opportunities, professional community, and credibility that can come with certification. Most importantly, Chef LeAnn explains why mentorship, openness to feedback, and a willingness to support the next generation are essential parts of mastering the craft. 

Whether you are considering certification, mentoring another baker, or looking for your next opportunity to grow, this conversation offers an honest look at what it means to pursue excellence in baking.

Evergreen closing message for The Perfect Rise. Thanks listeners for tuning in, encourages them to follow and share the podcast, and directs bakery professionals to RetailBakersofAmerica.org to learn more about RBA membership and resources.

The baking industry has always celebrated resilience, grit, and the ability to push through. But what happens when the cost of that resilience becomes too high?

In this re-released episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly Houston sits down with Jasmine Papadopoulos, Chief Growth Officer of CHOW (Culinary Hospitality Outreach & Wellness), for a conversation that is just as relevant today as when it first aired. Together, they explore the mental health challenges facing food and hospitality professionals, why burnout has become so common, and how bakery owners and leaders can begin creating workplaces where people thrive instead of simply survive. 

Jasmine shares the powerful story behind CHOW's founding following the loss of Anthony Bourdain, explains how the organization now supports hospitality professionals through free peer meetings, workplace training, and practical wellness resources, and offers actionable steps any bakery can take to normalize conversations around mental health. Kimberly also opens up about her own journey through injury, identity loss, and recovery, making this one of the most personal episodes of the podcast. 

Whether you're a bakery owner, pastry chef, educator, or team leader, this episode is a reminder that healthier businesses begin with healthier people.

In this episode you'll learn:

•  Why burnout is one of the industry's biggest challenges 
•  How to recognize the signs that someone may be struggling 
•  Practical ways leaders can create psychologically safe workplaces 
•  The role vulnerability plays in building stronger teams 
•  Free mental health resources available through CHOW 

Because the future of our industry isn't just about sustaining great bakeries. It's about sustaining the people who make them possible.

Evergreen mid-roll promoting Retail Bakers of America membership. Highlights RBA’s education, industry resources, and professional community, with a call to learn more at RetailBakersofAmerica.org.

Evergreen closing message for The Perfect Rise. Thanks listeners for tuning in, encourages them to follow and share the podcast, and directs bakery professionals to RetailBakersofAmerica.org to learn more about RBA membership and resources.

Building a successful business rarely starts with a perfect plan. More often, it begins with recognizing an opportunity that everyone else has overlooked. 

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly Houston sits down with Kevin O'Reilly, founder of Satin Fine Foods and the creator of Satin Ice, to explore the journey from a family bakery in Dublin, Ireland, to leading one of the world's most recognized cake decorating brands. 

Kevin shares how growing up in his family's bakery shaped his work ethic, why he chose entrepreneurship over the family business, and how a simple observation about the American fondant market led to the creation of Satin Ice. Together, they discuss the importance of staying focused, developing a business plan, adapting through industry changes, navigating the challenges of COVID, and building a company culture rooted in quality, relationships, and continuous improvement. 

Whether you're opening your first bakery, growing an established business, or simply looking for practical wisdom from someone who has spent decades in the baking industry, this conversation is filled with lessons on leadership, resilience, and creating a legacy that extends far beyond the products you sell.

Evergreen mid-roll promoting Retail Bakers of America membership. Highlights RBA’s education, industry resources, and professional community, with a call to learn more at RetailBakersofAmerica.org.

Evergreen closing message for The Perfect Rise. Thanks listeners for tuning in, encourages them to follow and share the podcast, and directs bakery professionals to RetailBakersofAmerica.org to learn more about RBA membership and resources.

What does it really take to become great in the pastry industry?

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly I. Houston sits down with award-winning executive chocolatier Justin Fry, founder of JF Chocolat and President of the National Pastry Conference, for a conversation about the habits, mindset, and community that shape exceptional pastry professionals.

Justin shares how years of competition taught him that mastery isn't about talent. It's about repetition, discipline, and continually improving your craft. He also discusses the transition from competitor to entrepreneur, building a sustainable chocolate business, and why he believes the future of the pastry industry depends on creating opportunities for professionals to connect, compete, and learn from one another.

Whether you're a bakery owner, pastry chef, culinary student, educator, or simply passionate about baking, this episode offers practical insights into craftsmanship, entrepreneurship, leadership, and the power of community.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  Why competition builds better bakers, even if you never plan to compete 
•  How repetition creates mastery in the kitchen 
•  The mindset shifts required to transition from pastry chef to business owner 
•  How JF Chocolat balances creativity with profitability 
•  Why the National Pastry Conference was created and what makes it unique 
•  The importance of mentorship, networking, and continuous learning 
•  Justin's advice for the next generation of pastry professionals 

Subscribe to The Perfect Rise for conversations with the people shaping the future of the baking and pastry industry.

Evergreen mid-roll promoting Retail Bakers of America membership. Highlights RBA’s education, industry resources, and professional community, with a call to learn more at RetailBakersofAmerica.org.

Evergreen closing message for The Perfect Rise. Thanks listeners for tuning in, encourages them to follow and share the podcast, and directs bakery professionals to RetailBakersofAmerica.org to learn more about RBA membership and resources.

What does it take to build an internationally recognized cake artistry career from the ground up?

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly I Houston sits down with award-winning sugar artist, educator, author, and Sweet Art Master founder Julia Fedorova.

After immigrating to the United States in 2015 without speaking English or having a background in the cake industry, Julia taught herself sugar artistry, competed her way to mastery, and became one of the industry's leading voices in botanical sugar flowers.

Together, they discuss:

• Julia's journey from newcomer to internationally recognized artist
• The discipline behind botanically correct sugar flowers
• Why competitions can accelerate growth and confidence
• Common mistakes decorators make when competing
• What judges are really looking for
• The inspiration behind her book, Sweet Botany
• The importance of community, mentorship, and continuing education

Whether you're a cake decorator, pastry professional, educator, or competitor, this conversation offers valuable insights into craftsmanship, creativity, and lifelong learning.

Learn more about Julia Fedorova and Sweet Art Master:
https://sweetartmaster.com

Learn more about the Retail Bakers of America:
https://www.retailbakersofamerica.org

Follow RBA for education, certification opportunities, and industry resources.

#ThePerfectRise #RetailBakersOfAmerica #JuliaFedorova #CakeArtist #SugarFlowers #CakeDecorating #PastryArts #BakingIndustry #SweetArtMaster

Evergreen mid-roll promoting Retail Bakers of America membership. Highlights RBA’s education, industry resources, and professional community, with a call to learn more at RetailBakersofAmerica.org.

Evergreen closing message for The Perfect Rise. Thanks listeners for tuning in, encourages them to follow and share the podcast, and directs bakery professionals to RetailBakersofAmerica.org to learn more about RBA membership and resources.