In Germany they will teach you to bake the most delicious bread
As Deutsche Welle notes, there are 16 bakery associations in Germany where specialized education can be obtained. The main one is the German Academy of Baking Mastery in Weinheim, which is called a Mecca for bakers. Over the 75 years of the Master School (Meisterschule für Bäcker/innen) at the academy, about five thousand people have graduated. Admission is possible only with a professional education.
Since the school teaches exclusively in German, a baker or pastry chef from another country must be fluent in it. To apply, you need to fill out an application on the website, indicating where you received your initial education and which bakery you work at. In addition to practical skills, theory is also taught here. In lectures, bakers study the economics and organization of bakery production. German tax legislation and accounting are also part of the program.
In addition, a special intensive course, German Baking, was created for foreigners. Over the course of a month, students learn to knead dough according to German recipes, prepare fillings, and even bake the famous Black Forest cake, Austrian Sacher torte, and Berliner doughnuts. After such an intensive program and an exam, bakers will be able to open a German bakery in their home country.
"In recent years, we have trained more than three thousand people from 27 countries. People from all over the world come here who want to bake bread of the highest quality," academy director Bernd Kütscher emphasized in an interview with DW.
Training at the academy is expensive. For example, nine months at the Master School will cost 5,400 euros, including materials. Accommodation at the campus in southern Germany must be paid separately. However, students can apply for a state grant-loan BaföG, which will cover part of the costs. But to receive funding under this program, you must meet a number of criteria.
In addition to the master baker school, the academy offers unique seminars for bakers and pastry chefs. For example, you can learn the rare specialty of bread sommelier. Of course, only experienced bakers can attend the trainings. The course lasts one year, but participants come to Weinheim only for a few days once a month.
Students will attend lectures on German bread culture, the pairing of baked goods, delicacies, and alcoholic beverages. In practical classes, they taste pastries and study the "bread language" – words used to describe the taste qualities of the product. As an exam at the end of the year, bakers present their project, after which they receive a certificate.
According to Bernd Kütscher, these specialists will certainly not be left without work. "Such certified sommeliers act as bread experts for the media, organize events for customers in their bakeries," explained the director of the academy in Weinheim.