A sixth-generation master baker, competitor and jury member for international baking competitions, business owner, consultant, professor, and most recently, author—Jimmy Griffin has just about done it all in his baking career. He got his start working from a young age in his 125-year-old family bakery set in Dublin, Ireland. Now, he’s finding ways to pass his knowledge and craft down to younger generations of bakers with his new book.
BAKED in Science host Mark Floerke invites Jimmy to share his story in this episode. Starting back in Ireland during the late 1700s with his journeyman ancestor, and the start of the family bakery in the late 1800s, Jimmy shares what life as a baker looked like back then and the memories that have been passed down over the decades. His own career officially started at 17, as he studied baking at university and helped run the family business, eventually starting his own cake shop on the side.
From there, Jimmy would go on to win a silver medal in the Coupe du Monde Chocolatine and was a frequent international jury member of the Coupe Du Monde (Bakery World Cup). In 2016 he was president of the jury.
The Art of Lamination
Later in his career, Jimmy went back to school to get a Master’s degree in New Product Development and Culinary Innovation so he could continue instructing honors degree bakery students. He devoted that time to immersing himself in the art and science of lamination. Those notes would eventually become his first self-published, widely popular book.
The Art of Lamination is the ultimate instruction and reference book for croissant and other laminated pastry. It covers all the processes and skills from start to finish, helping the reader firmly grasp the concept and troubleshoot issues.
Through this conversation, Jimmy and Mark cover:
- Growing up in a bakery
- International baking competitions
- Writing a book
- The most commonly asked croissant question
- Adding layers to croissant dough
- Sourdough croissants
What are your top croissant or baking questions? Ask our experts in the Baking Industry Professionals Facebook group!
