What does it really take to become a Certified Master Baker—and then choose to teach the next generation?

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, I sit down with Jesse Jackson III, CMB, Baking & Pastry Instructor at the Culinary Institute of America and one of only two African American Retail Bakers of America Certified Master Bakers.

This conversation isn’t just about titles.
 It’s about discipline. Standards. Repetition. Legacy.

Chef Jesse walks us through the long game of mastery—from working in high-level kitchens to earning one of the most respected credentials in our industry—and why choosing education was the next evolution of his career.

If you’re serious about building a career that lasts, this episode is required listening.

In This Conversation, We Cover:

• What it really means to pursue the Certified Master Baker credential
 • Why foundational skills still separate good bakers from great ones
 • The discipline behind repetition—and how mistakes actually build mastery
 • What culinary students need to understand before enrolling in school
 • Why teaching may be one of the most impactful paths in baking today

Chef Jesse shares honest insights about Michelin-level environments, the responsibility of instruction, and how to align your career with long-term purpose—not just short-term applause.

Whether you’re a student, educator, bakery owner, or someone pursuing professional certification, this episode reinforces one core truth:

Mastery is built slowly—and on purpose.

About Chef Jesse Jackson III

Chef Jesse Jackson III is a Baking & Pastry Chef Instructor at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. After years as a pastry chef and entrepreneur, he earned the Certified Master Baker designation through the Retail Bakers of America—one of the highest professional achievements in the field. Today, he is committed to shaping the next generation of bakers through rigorous standards and real-world instruction.

If you care about the future of baking education, credentials, and professional growth—this episode belongs in your rotation.

Listen now and raise your standard.

#CertifiedMasterBaker #CulinaryEducation #BakingStandards #PastryCareer #ThePerfectRise

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In this episode of The Perfect Rise, we sit down with Chad Ecklof, third-generation owner of Ecklof Bakery, to talk about legacy, leadership, and why profit literacy—not just passion—is the difference between survival and sustainability.

Chad shares how nine years in the U.S. Navy shaped his leadership style, what it’s like working side by side with his father in a legacy bakery, and how outdated pricing systems led him to build The Baker’s Bench—a tool designed by a baker, for bakers.

This conversation is a must-listen for bakery owners, educators, and anyone serious about the business of baking.

In this episode, we cover:

• What legacy bakeries get right about leadership and longevity
 • Why most bakeries don’t fail from poor product—but poor pricing visibility
 • How ingredient cost changes quietly erode profit if you’re not watching
 • The difference between pricing by instinct and pricing with intention
 • What bakers actually need to understand about gross profit
• Why education must bridge the gap between the recipe and reality
• How systems support craftsmanship instead of replacing it

Who this episode is for:

• Retail bakery owners and operators
 • Bakers thinking about opening a brick-and-mortar shop
 • Culinary educators and students
 • Anyone navigating rising ingredient costs and shrinking margins

Exclusive RBA Member Benefit: Baker’s Bench Access

RBA members receive special access to The Baker’s Bench, a bakery-focused pricing and profitability tool created by fourth-generation baker Chad Eckolf.

When you sign up for Baker’s Bench, you’ll be asked during onboarding if you’re a Retail Bakers of America member. During your 14-day trial, RBA memberships are verified internally. Once confirmed, you’ll receive a unique code directly from the Baker’s Bench team to apply when upgrading to a paid account.

No public code required—just sign up, complete onboarding, and we’ll take care of the rest.

👉 Get started here: https://bakersbenchapp.com

At Retail Bakers of America, we believe great baking deserves great businesses. This episode is about building both.

🎧 Listen now and learn how clarity, systems, and stewardship create bakeries that stand the test of time.

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What does real mastery look like when nobody’s watching?

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, I’m joined by Colette Christian—chef, educator, and certification powerhouse—whose career started in professional kitchens at 14 and evolved through hotels, production baking, business ownership, and culinary education.

We talk about the unsexy truth behind skill: repetition, systems, and the willingness to take on the jobs most people avoid. Colette shares a smart strategy for getting into top kitchens even when there’s “no opening,” why bakery certifications build confidence that actually holds up under pressure, and what changes in culinary education are shaping the next generation of bakers and bakery owners.

If you’re a baker, pastry pro, educator, or bakery owner who wants stronger skills, clearer direction, and more staying power in this industry—this conversation will land.

Learn about Colette: Baking with Colette

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Buddy Valastro is often introduced as Cake Boss—but long before television, books, and global recognition, he was (and still is) a retail baker.

In this episode of The Perfect Rise: Conversations with the Retail Bakers of America, Buddy joins host Chef Kimberly Houston for a grounded, honest conversation about what it really takes to run a bakery in today’s market. From leadership inside a multi-generation family business to staffing, sales, pricing, and adapting to changing customer habits, this episode pulls back the curtain on the realities retail bakers face every day.

Buddy reflects on his decades-long relationship with the Retail Bakers of America, the value of industry organizations like IBIE, and why community, mentorship, and collaboration matter now more than ever. He also shares how he’s intentionally passing leadership, responsibility, and craft to the next generation—starting with his own kids.

This is not a celebrity interview.
 It’s a conversation for bakery owners who care about longevity, leadership, and strengthening the industry as a whole.

Check out Carlos Bakery: https://carlosbakery.com/

Follow on social: https://www.instagram.com/buddyvalastro/

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Most people think a career in baking means spending your life inside a kitchen—but today’s guest proves the industry is far bigger, more innovative, and more full of possibility than most bakers ever imagine.

In this episode, Kimberly sits down with Kelly DeFusco, a Principal Bakery Scientist at Tastepoint by IFF with 34 years in the flavor industry. Kelly’s journey started with homemade 3D birthday cakes, a family restaurant, and a home economics degree, before one unexpected phone call launched her into a career where creativity meets chemistry every single day.

Inside this conversation, you’ll discover:

• How a non-traditional path led Kelly into bakery science—and why more students should know options like this exist
 • The behind-the-scenes world of flavor creation, formula troubleshooting, and the science that drives consistent, scalable products
 • What Kelly learned training under Dunkin’s head donut baker and studying chocolaterie in Paris
 • Her real, unfiltered experience preparing for the Certified Master Baker (CMB) exam—and the surprising insights from only having one retest left
• Why she calls the CMB “the bar exam for bakers”
• How bakery owners can immediately improve product quality by tasting throughout the process and understanding ingredient synergy

Kelly brings honesty, humor, and a deep passion for both science and craft. If you’ve ever wondered what’s possible in the baking industry beyond the bench—or if you just need a reminder that growth is never linear—this episode is for you.

Listen in, take notes, and get ready to rethink what a baking career can look like.

To learn more about Tastepoint visit their main site here: https://www.tastepoint.com/

To learn about IFF visit: https://www.iff.com/food-beverage/

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What happens when you spot a gap in the market that should exist… and decide to build it yourself?

BagelFest was born from that exact moment — an idea that didn’t make sense not to exist. In today’s episode, Chef Kimberly sits down with the “Bagel Ambassador” himself, Sam Silverman, to explore how a first-time festival in Bushwick evolved into the beating heart of global bagel culture.

This episode dives into:

• The surprising origins of BagelFest
 • How proof of concept shaped every stage of growth
 • Why community is the true engine behind this movement
 • The mindset shift Sam had to make when the business didn’t go as planned
 • How the Growth Lab and Industry Mixer are rewriting what’s possible for emerging bakers
 • What separates scalable bakeries from struggling ones
 • The trends redefining the bagel world — in the U.S. and abroad

If you’re a baker, founder, or industry professional who’s tired of building alone, this conversation will remind you that your niche matters, your community matters, and your ideas deserve real oxygen.

Sam’s journey is a masterclass in staying curious, staying committed, and building something that lifts an entire industry.

Connect with the Bagel Community:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bagelfest

Website: https://www.bagelfest.com/

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What if one cake could change everything?

In this heartfelt episode of The Perfect Rise Podcast, Chef Kimberly Houston sits down with Tracy Quisenberry, founder of Icing Smiles, a nonprofit that brings joy to critically ill children and their families through custom celebration cakes made by volunteer bakers.

Tracy’s journey didn’t begin in the kitchen—it started with service. After years as a tax professional and volunteer for Make-A-Wish, she found her true calling through a single homemade cake that sparked smiles, connection, and purpose. Today, Icing Smiles includes more than 14,000 volunteer bakers—called Sugar Angels—who create “dream cakes” across the country, each one a reminder that compassion and creativity can change lives.

🎙️ In this episode, you’ll hear:
• How Icing Smiles began and what drives its mission
• The story behind the first “rubber duck” cake that started it all
• How one cake transformed a child’s final day into a celebration of life
• Why Tracy believes faith, service, and purpose are inseparable
• How bakers can get involved and become Sugar Angels themselves

If you’ve ever needed a reminder of why you fell in love with baking—or proof that your work can make an impact—this conversation will stay with you long after you listen.

📍 Learn more & get involved: https://www.icingsmiles.org

🎧 Listen to The Perfect Rise Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

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What if the same passion that drives your success is quietly breaking you down?

In this powerful episode of The Perfect Rise, Chef Kimberly Houston sits down with Jasmin Vitolo Parks-Papadopoulos, Chief Growth Officer at CHOW (Culinary Hospitality Outreach & Wellness), to unpack the unspoken truth of life in hospitality — and what it really takes to build healthier kitchens.

You’ll hear:
 • The emotional story behind CHOW’s founding after Anthony Bourdain’s passing
• The “temperature take” check-in every kitchen needs to know
• Why burnout, anxiety, and substance misuse show up differently in our industry
• How the Amuse’ course helps leaders spot and support struggling staff
• The real language to use in hard conversations — thanks to CHOW’s legally vetted Scripts for Challenging Conversations
• One tiny, real-world action every owner, chef, or manager can take this week

CHOW’s mission is simple: Serving those who serve us.
Every meeting, every resource, every story is designed by people who’ve lived this life — chefs, bakers, servers, and owners committed to creating a more sustainable future for our industry.

💡 Get Involved
Join a free CHOW meeting or access resources: https://chowco.org
RBA Members: Find CHOW resources inside RBA Connect
Free Tools: Amuse’ Course • Workplace Wellness Toolkit • Scripts for Challenging Conversations

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What does it really take to become a Certified Master Baker—and a true master of your craft?

In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Chef Kimberly Houston sits down with Chef Cody Middleton, professor and department head of Baking & Pastry at the International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach (HGTC), to explore the intersection of skill, humility, and leadership in the pastry world.

From studying at École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie under the Alain Ducasse education group to earning certifications through both the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and the Retail Bakers of America (RBA), Chef Cody has built a career defined by excellence and integrity. But his path wasn’t a straight line—he shares how his early uncertainty led him to discover a love for pastry’s precision and science, and how each step along the way shaped his approach to teaching and mentorship.

You’ll hear:
 • Why humility is one of the most important skills a baker can have
 • How studying abroad in France reshaped his entire outlook on food and technique
 • What the Certified Master Baker (CMB) exam really tests—and why it’s harder than it looks on paper
• The logistics lessons learned from serving high-profile guests and large banquets
• How to prepare students (and professionals) for both the creative and business sides of baking
• Why entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone—and how to define success on your own terms
• How professional certifications push the industry forward and hold chefs to a higher standard
• The one rule Chef Cody teaches every student: do the right thing, every time

This episode is a must-listen for pastry students, educators, and bakery owners who want to elevate not just their technique, but their mindset and integrity in the kitchen.

About Chef Cody Middleton
Chef Cody is a Certified Executive Pastry Chef, Certified Culinary Educator, and Certified Master Baker. He leads the Baking & Pastry department at HGTC’s International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach and has worked as an executive pastry chef for luxury country clubs throughout North Carolina and Florida, serving clients ranging from professional athletes to international diplomats.

Connect on Instagram: Chef Cody

Connect on LinkedIn: Chef Cody Middleton

Connect with the RBA
Learn more about professional certifications, education programs, and industry resources at www.retailbakersofamerica.org
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What does it take to rise to the top of the pastry world? In this episode of The Perfect Rise: Conversations with the RBA, Executive Pastry Chef Matthew Ratliff shares his journey from the Culinary Institute of America to competing (and winning) on Food Network, earning elite certifications, and leading the pastry team at the prestigious Everglades Club.

Chef Matt opens up about:
 • The lessons competitions teach that kitchen work cannot
 • Why sugar artistry remains one of the toughest (and most rewarding) mediums in pastry
 • How organization and foresight are the secret weapons of every successful pastry chef
 • The value of certifications like CMB, CEPC, and WCMPC
 • Why financial planning matters just as much as technical skill for a long-term culinary career

Whether you’re an aspiring pastry chef, an established baker, or simply curious about what it takes to excel at the highest level, this conversation is packed with wisdom, inspiration, and practical advice that reaches far beyond the kitchen.

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