ORLANDO, FLA. — Today’s commercial baking industry is grappling with numerous workforce challenges, including a growing skills gap and widespread labor shortages. 

At BakingTech 2025, the American Society of Baking’s annual conference, held February 16-18 in Orlando, Fla., a panel of Master Bakers: Richard Charpentier, chief executive officer, Baking Innovation; Lilla Bernal, assistant professor, The Culinary Institute of America; and Karl De Smedt, head of the sourdough institute for Puratos USA, discussed how to better train and attract the next generation of bakers and ensure a brighter future for the industry. 

De Smedt observed that the future for the industry may lie in its past. Many classical baking techniques, such as long fermentation and the production of sourdough, he noted, have largely been lost among today’s workforce as bread production has become more commercial and high-speed. These older techniques should be brought back to the forefront, De Smedt said.

“I think one of the big challenges today is to do this turnaround in bakeries and switch towards different processes that allow some different skillsets that we need,” he said. “We need to start thinking and act now, because it’s just time to do it.”

He added that increasing emphasis on techniques like sourdough production can also draw more consumers back towards the category.

“There's like 30% of consumers who today do not believe in bread,” he said. “They do not trust the bread because it makes you fat, because it's full of this, because it’s full of that. We can change that. There's so many other opportunities to bring a positive message for bread, making it healthier, making it better in texture, making it better in taste.”

Bernal emphasized that baking education is the future of the industry.

“If we think of culinary school as being a formula for bakers, the ingredients, of course, are students, teachers, facilities and equipment, and our final product is inspired confidence, and confident bakers with a vision for the future,” she said. 

While many students are drawn to culinary school because of their love for baking, Bernal said the Culinary Institute emphasizes instilling discipline, dedication and a hard work ethic in students as well, ensuring a stronger generation of future bakers. 

“Most of our students have considerably more experience consuming baked goods than producing baked goods on those very first days, but they enter into a commitment and a contract with us, the teachers, to dedicate themselves to the life of a baker on day one,” she said. 

Charpentier said he is thankful for the bakery education he received at Kansas State University and that it still guides him today. He noted, however, that the commercial baking industry can be better promoted to these students as a career path for them. 

“I think there’s a gap and an opportunity for all of us here to tap into these young aspiring bakers,” he said.