First task of the morning?

My morning can start anywhere between 3.30am and 6.00am depending on the bakery trials schedule that day and how complex those trials will be. Hydration, in the form of sparkly mineral water, starts the moment the alarm is switched off and then, because I work away from home, I quickly check the family messages from my loved ones. Yoga stretches precede a scaldingly hot mug of tea, a short 5 minute meditation and then I set myself a series of reminders on my phone related to key events that will occur that day before I walk the one mile to the bakery, rain or shine!  Into the office via the alarm systems , pick up my trial notes and straight onto the shop floor or, if a delay is occurring, then its back the office and the laptop for a latte and the first review of emails and project tracker notes.

And just like that, it's mid-morning already...

Microsoft Teams Meetings occur at 10.00am and 11.00 am so, if I can attend, I log on to be briefed on operational priorities that day and project tracking actions required. It was an early start so I indulge in the warm hug of freshly toasted panettone. Thick slices glistening with fruit and slathered with melting salted butter accompanied by my second latte of the day. At this point I work on  the creation of  new recipes to specific briefs and or I am amending and tweaking and improving recipes following the results of internal or external taste panels. This generates an action plan for new raw materials that may be needed for future trials and includes a technical review of their specifications to ensure that those new ingredients will be suitable for all UK and export market requirements.

It's lunch time!

Fresh fruit or a bought in salad and decaf tea at my desk for lunch as I clear more emails, send out requests for new ingredients or packaging samples and I review the monthly trials calendar with our infinitely patient and empathetic production planner!  Back of pack artwork may hit the desk for checking depending on who is available that day in the review team and the HACCP and stock adjust paperwork is reviewed.

Afternoon pick-me up?

Hot chocolate and a nibble on the fresh samples made that day especially if they are sweet and dunkable! Back to the shop floor to check on the packing and labelling of samples. A quick whizz into the warehouse to see if new ingredients have turned up for later in the week trials.

It's time to wind down!

I am usually walking down the hill to the guest house by 4.00pm and its time to shower, have a 20 minute siesta followed by 20 minutes of Duolingo (Spanish at the moment), followed by guitar scales practise as I re-invent my musical style from pub rock band to country rock style electro acoustic.  Dinner is  a small salad, a decent protein hit of grilled steak, roast chicken or seafood and, in the winter months, a gooey cake from a local café with decaf coffee while watching a streamed film or box set.