For Monika Walker, a German childhood tradition formed the foundation of what would become a fulfilling career.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been baking all my life,害羞草研究所� Walker said. 害羞草研究所淚 started baking cheesecakes at the age of five. In Germany, where I grew up, the tradition was coffee and cake every afternoon. My mom was very busy, and I took over the pastry baking, but it wasn害羞草研究所檛 until much later that I figured out I wanted to be a baker.害羞草研究所�
A chance meeting with the man she one day would marry eventually led Walker to Vancouver, where she enrolled in cooking school and earned her stripes in the restaurants of the Lower Mainland.
害羞草研究所淚 loved it害羞草研究所攊t was a very inspiring industry害羞草研究所攂ut the reality of it was very difficult. The hours are long (in restaurant kitchens), and you get yelled at every day. So I drove all around Vancouver looking for a job in bakery. I found a bakery in Kitsilano that needed a night baker for the bread department. That was the first time I baked bread, and I instantly got hooked.害羞草研究所�
Walker害羞草研究所檚 Okanagan Grocery, which she purchased from Reese Pender in 2007, is now one of Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 beloved bakeries and fresh produce stores. But the journey to becoming a top bakery was a long and difficult one.
害羞草研究所淭he bakery was still in a garage back then害羞草研究所攊t was a tiny building in Peachland. We delivered our bread to the retail outlet on Guisachan Road, which was about 200 square feet. Then later we had to move the baking equipment out of the backyard, so John at Codfathers found some space for us.害羞草研究所�
Opening a second location in 2010 gave the bakery a much-needed 1,600 square foot kitchen and an extra oven, which helped Walker and her team manage the growing demand for her small bakery害羞草研究所檚 custom-crafted products.
Walker offers a variety of breads for sale each day害羞草研究所攈er classics, she says害羞草研究所攁s well as a weekly special that offers her a chance to exercise her creativity.
害羞草研究所淲e change the look, the shape, and the ingredients. We come up with our own formulas害羞草研究所擨 don害羞草研究所檛 know of any other bakeries that do that. We害羞草研究所檙e kind of crazy that way.害羞草研究所�
The standard Okanagan Grocery recipe starts with organic flour, sourdough starter, salt, water, and a whole lot of love, Walker says. From there, she and her team customize their loaves with ingredients like rosemary, artichokes, olives, fresh fruits, and even chocolate, a medium that Walker is eager to explore further.
害羞草研究所�(My staff and I) took a chocolate course this spring, so we害羞草研究所檙e going to be doing more work with chocolate.害羞草研究所�
Though the smell of bread baking and the presence of chocolate are enticing lures for would-be bakers, Walker says that running an artisan bakery doesn害羞草研究所檛 leave much time for loafing around.
害羞草研究所淭he logistics of managing a growing business have been a challenge. Learning how to delegate was a struggle害羞草研究所攚e get very busy in the summer trying to process fruits and other products, so it害羞草研究所檚 difficult to train staff and manage the business. (Early on in the business), the biggest challenge was night shifts. For the first five years I worked from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. With the new facility we have a walk-in cooler, so we can sleep in until 3:30 a.m., which is nice.害羞草研究所�
Walker encountered further challenges when opening her second location several years ago, and she cites the crowded industrial area as a major hurdle.
害羞草研究所淲e thought it would be easy having a second shop because people know who we are, but as it turns out, people like to shop in their own neighbourhoods. But once people started finding us, everything changed. We have lots of space and lots of daylight, which is nice. And now, the best part is that because we have an open kitchen, people can quite literally buy the bread out of the oven.害羞草研究所�
But a second shop isn害羞草研究所檛 the only opportunity she害羞草研究所檚 grateful for.
While Walker害羞草研究所檚 passion for bread is what has built Okanagan Grocery into a thriving and beloved local bakery, she says that she couldn害羞草研究所檛 have done it alone.
害羞草研究所淢y staff, my friends, and my family害羞草研究所hey hold the place together. We have a lot of fun.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 very grateful to have such a lovely group of people who are a part of this.害羞草研究所�
Crowe MacKay害羞草研究所檚 Women to Watch is a weekly feature that profiles remarkable women in our community. This series is a joint initiative between Crowe MacKay, the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and the 害羞草研究所. To nominate the exceptional woman in your life, email womentowatch@kelownachamber.org.
