An illuminating guide to a profession as a baker, compiled by acclaimed journalist Glynnis MacNicol and based on the real-life experiences of an expert in the field—essential reading for someone considering a path to this challenging, however rewarding profession.

Go behind the moments and be mentored by the best to learn what it’s really like, and exactly what it takes, to become a baker.

Esteemed journalist Glynnis MacNicol will take readers to the front counters of bakeries and cafes to provide a about Becoming a Baker candid portrait of contemporary baking. MacNicol shadows Mary Louise Clemens, the owner and head baker of Ladybird Bakery in Brooklyn, to reveal how bakers work and exactly how they stick out in a neighborhood, community, and city. In Learning to be a Baker, MacNicol uncovers the path to becoming a baker, from education to the creation of brand-new meals, from negotiating with suppliers to the possibility of opening your small business.

Prepare the legendary “Brooklyn Blackout” cupcakes in Ladybird’s kitchen, shape croissants in the beloved Sea Wolf Bakery in Seattle, and find out why bakers believe the Great Uk Bake-Off offers captured our collective imagination.

As the food industry changes to meet up the 21st hundred years, the role of a baker is now more and more central to our lives. For those passionate about nourishment, working with your hands, and the place of locally-owned businesses in communities, this is the most valuable informational interview you’ll ever have—required reading for anybody considering this career.