Bread Bakers Guild To Hold Bakery Equipment Repair Class

Sonoma, CA – Anyone who has ever worked in a bakery knows how a single piece of malfunctioning equipment can bring your entire production to a grinding halt. But if you know what to look for, you can get things up and running quickly and avoid down time and massive repair bills.

On September 12-13, The Bread Bakers Guild of America will hold a practical class on bakery equipment repair at Johnson & Wales University in Denver, CO. Equipment Guru Kurt Schmitt will teach participants to identify and fix common problems. Students will learn about thermostats, electrical relays, converting from single phase to 3-phase, and how to set up a preventive maintenance plan. The class will also visit local bakeshops to view their equipment and discuss troubleshooting.

“The MacGyver Approach to Bakery Equipment Repair” is part of The Guild’s 2015 class series, Revival: What’s Old Is New, which includes hands-on artisan bread and pastry classes blending traditional and contemporary ideas, as well as classes that share valuable practical information for professional bakers. These classes are part of The Guild’s mission to “shape the skills and knowledge of the artisan baking community.” Please visit www.bbga.org to see the complete 2015 events calendar.

Kurt Schmitt, fourth-generation baker, received a tool kit for Christmas when he was six. He was later discovered sawing off the porch beam, because, as he explained to his perplexed father, he had to know what would happen to the roof. Thus began a lifelong fascination with how things work. Kurt has licenses in electrical and refrigeration and has learned how to program PLCs. He created a doughnut fryer that is still operational 20 years later, and installed his own walk-in cooler and freezer designs. Kurt is co-owner of Deerfields Bakery in Illinois. As the chief equipment troubleshooter, he can often be found sitting cross-legged on the floor, tuning in to the problem.

Johnson & Wales University is a private, non-profit NEASC-accredited institution whose unique education model is designed to inspire professional success and lifelong intellectual growth. The Denver, CO, campus includes 26 park-like acres set against a stunning Rocky Mountain backdrop, only 10 minutes from downtown.

The Bread Bakers Guild of America is a non-profit organization comprised of professional bakers, farmers, millers, suppliers, educators, students, home bakers, technical experts, and bakery owners and managers who work together to support the principle and the practice of producing the highest quality baked goods. It was formed in 1993 to shape the skills and knowledge of the artisan baking community through education.

A flyer and registration form for this class may be downloaded at www.bbga.org

Source: The Bread Bakers Guild of America