NAIT Bakes 2011

Didier Rosada began his baking career in the traditional way: at age 15, with technical training at a regional French professional school and an apprenticeship under a local baker. But his love of bread and his desire to see the world soon set him apart.

After a few stints as staff baker in some exotic places, Didier’s abilities caught the attention of his employer, Club Med, who assigned him the task of opening new bakeries at the company's resorts and training the staff. In 1995, Didier returned to France to enhance his professional skills at the prestigious Institut National de Boulangerie-Patisserie in Rouen, where he earned a Brevet de Maitrise, a degree that we would call a “Masters in Baking.”

While working on a private research project for Bay States Milling Company in the United States, Didier became unofficial trainer of the 1996 Baking Team USA. His expert advice and patient guidance were important factors in the American team’s first place finish in the bread category at the Coupe du Monde de Boulangerie in Paris in February 1996. In February 1999 under Didier’s guidance the team USA took home the gold medal of the competition and in April 2002, the silver medal. He was also the official coach of the US Baking team that won the gold medal in Paris in April 2005.

Didier has contributed many technical articles for newsletters and baking magazines, and his formulas are considered by the industry to set the standards of quality in artisan baking.
When the National Baking Center was created in 1996, Didier was selected to develop and teach the Bread curriculum. His other functions at the NBC included supervising various research projects and consulting for specialty bread bakers and millers across the United States, South and Central America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.

In January 2002, he took the position of Head Instructor for the San Francisco Baking Institute where he continued to specialize in baking education and consulting, nationwide and internationally.

Didier participated in the first NAIT Bakes 2010: A Canadian Masters Workshop, leading a workshop entitled "Artisan Breads at Their Best". We are very excited to welcome him to NAIT again.

Visit his website at: www.uptownbakers.com/f_master_baker.html

Chef Ciril Hitz is a baking/pastry instructor at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Ciril received his artistic education at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he received his Bachelors of Fine Art degree in Industrial Design. Upon graduating, he completed a 3-year Pastry/Chocolate apprenticeship in his native Switzerland.

He has competed in the National Bread & Pastry Team Championship (2004) held in Atlantic City where his team won 1st place overall and individually Ciril captured the honors of Best Bread Showpiece, Best Bread Degustation, and Best Viennoiserie Degustation.

He was also the artistic category representative on the 2002 Bread Bakers Guild Team which represented the USA at the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie in Paris, France and captured the Silver Medal.

Visit his website at: www.breadhitz.com.