The Perfect Rise: Conversations with RBA

What does it really take to become great in the pastry industry? In this episode of The Perfect Rise , Kimberly I. Houston sits down with award-winning executive chocolatier Justin Fry, founder of JF Chocolat and President of the National Pastry Conference, for a conversation about the habits, mindset, and community that shape exceptional pastry professionals. Justin shares how years of competitio...

What does it take to build an internationally recognized cake artistry career from the ground up? In this episode of The Perfect Rise, Kimberly I Houston sits down with award-winning sugar artist, educator, author, and Sweet Art Master founder Julia Fedorova. After immigrating to the United States in 2015 without speaking English or having a background in the cake industry, Julia taught herself su...

What happens when a retail baking supply store becomes a workforce development pipeline for the future of the baking industry?  In this episode of The Perfect Rise , Kimberly Houston sits down with Cyndi Benavides, owner of Cake Craft Shoppe and founder of the Youth Baking Academy in Houston, Texas.  Together, they discuss how Cyndi transformed a teaching kitchen into a multi-year program focused...

In this episode of The Perfect Rise , Kimberly Houston speaks with Kristen Egan about the changing realities of pastry, hospitality, and culinary education. From working in luxury hotels and some of the country’s most respected fine dining kitchens to building a successful pastry business and eventually teaching at the CIA, Chef Egan has experienced nearly every side of the industry. This conversa...

What happens when a fine dining chef challenges one of the most traditional processes in baking?  In this episode of The Perfect Rise , Kimberly Houston sits down with Craig Hutchinson, COO and co-owner of Olmo Bagels, to talk about how innovation, hospitality, and operational thinking helped transform a pandemic pivot into one of the most talked-about bagel brands in the country.  Craig shares ho...

What do you do when giving 150% to someone else’s dream gets you nowhere? You build your own. In this episode of The Perfect Rise , Kimberly Houston sits down with Kady Miller , founder of Alchemy Bake Lab in Houston, Texas, for an honest conversation about what it really takes to build a bakery from the ground up. After being laid off from her corporate job, Kady made the decision to go all in on...

Most people think baking is about creativity. Rachel Liu Martindale will tell you it’s about systems. In this episode of The Perfect Rise , Rachel shares what it really looks like to walk away from a stable engineering career and build a bakery from the ground up—without skipping the hard parts. From scaling recipes and calculating margins to testing demand through pop-ups and navigating a busines...

There’s a version of the baking industry that people want to believe in—one where hard work, consistency, and great products are enough to guarantee success.  But the reality? It’s more complicated than that.  In this episode of The Perfect Rise , I’m joined by Martin Barnett, Executive Director of Baking Association of Canada, who has spent nearly five decades in the industry—spanning family bake...

What does flour have to do with growth, consistency, and long-term success in the baking industry? More than most people realize.  In this episode of The Perfect Rise , Kimberly sits down with Nancy Muller, a foodservice professional with more than 30 years of industry experience and over 22 years in baking, to talk about the business side of one of the most foundational ingredients in the industr...

What does it take to grow a small-town bakery into a thriving regional business? In this episode of The Perfect Rise Podcast , host Kimberly Houston sits down with Lynn Schurman , co-owner of Cold Spring Bakery in Minnesota and former Education Director for the Retail Bakers of America. Cold Spring Bakery began as a small family operation in 1946, founded by Lynn’s in-laws after her father-in-law...

What does it really take to become a Certified Master Baker—and then choose to teach the next generation? In this episode of The Perfect Rise , I sit down with Jesse Jackson III, CMB , Baking & Pastry Instructor at the Culinary Institute of America and one of only two African American Retail Bakers of America Certified Master Bakers. This conversation isn’t just about titles.  It’s about disci...

In this episode of The Perfect Rise , we sit down with Chad Ecklof , third-generation owner of Ecklof Bakery , to talk about legacy, leadership, and why profit literacy—not just passion—is the difference between survival and sustainability. Chad shares how nine years in the U.S. Navy shaped his leadership style, what it’s like working side by side with his father in a legacy bakery, and how outdat...

What does real mastery look like when nobody’s watching? In this episode of The Perfect Rise , I’m joined by Colette Christian —chef, educator, and certification powerhouse—whose career started in professional kitchens at 14 and evolved through hotels, production baking, business ownership, and culinary education. We talk about the unsexy truth behind skill: repetition, systems, and the willingnes...

Buddy Valastro is often introduced as Cake Boss —but long before television, books, and global recognition, he was (and still is) a retail baker. In this episode of The Perfect Rise: Conversations with the Retail Bakers of America , Buddy joins host Chef Kimberly Houston for a grounded, honest conversation about what it really takes to run a bakery in today’s market. From leadership inside a multi...

Most people think a career in baking means spending your life inside a kitchen—but today’s guest proves the industry is far bigger, more innovative, and more full of possibility than most bakers ever imagine. In this episode, Kimberly sits down with Kelly DeFusco , a Principal Bakery Scientist at Tastepoint by IFF with 34 years in the flavor industry. Kelly’s journey started with homemade 3D birth...

What happens when you spot a gap in the market that should exist… and decide to build it yourself? BagelFest was born from that exact moment — an idea that didn’t make sense not to exist. In today’s episode, Chef Kimberly sits down with the “Bagel Ambassador” himself, Sam Silverman, to explore how a first-time festival in Bushwick evolved into the beating heart of global bagel culture. This episod...

What if one cake could change everything? In this heartfelt episode of The Perfect Rise Podcast , Chef Kimberly Houston sits down with Tracy Quisenberry , founder of Icing Smiles , a nonprofit that brings joy to critically ill children and their families through custom celebration cakes made by volunteer bakers. Tracy’s journey didn’t begin in the kitchen—it started with service. After years as a...

What if the same passion that drives your success is quietly breaking you down? In this powerful episode of The Perfect Rise , Chef Kimberly Houston sits down with Jasmin Vitolo Parks-Papadopoulos , Chief Growth Officer at CHOW (Culinary Hospitality Outreach & Wellness) , to unpack the unspoken truth of life in hospitality — and what it really takes to build healthier kitchens. You’ll hear:  •...

What does it really take to become a Certified Master Baker —and a true master of your craft? In this episode of The Perfect Rise , Chef Kimberly Houston sits down with Chef Cody Middleton , professor and department head of Baking & Pastry at the International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach (HGTC) , to explore the intersection of skill, humility, and leadership in the pastry world. From st...

What does it take to rise to the top of the pastry world? In this episode of The Perfect Rise: Conversations with the RBA , Executive Pastry Chef Matthew Ratliff shares his journey from the Culinary Institute of America to competing (and winning) on Food Network, earning elite certifications, and leading the pastry team at the prestigious Everglades Club. Chef Matt opens up about:  • The lessons c...

What happens when a fine dining pastry chef faces a career-ending injury? For Tracy Mattson, it became the spark that launched Cookie Take a Bite —a boutique cookie brand built on elevated flavors, thoughtful presentation, and a deep commitment to local partnerships. In this episode of The Perfect Rise , host Kimberly Houston sits down with Tracy to unpack her inspiring journey: • How six weeks on...

From Pastry Chef to Industry Leader: Scott Calvert’s Baking Journey In this episode of The Perfect Rise , Scott Calvert—President of Tootie Pie Co. and immediate past president of the Retail Bakers of America—shares his 35+ year journey in the baking industry. From his start at the New England Culinary Institute to building The Cake Plate, and now leading in wholesale production, Scott’s story is...

From Weekend Help to Donut Empire: Gary VanderStelt of Sprinkles Donuts | The Perfect Rise Podcast What happens when the kid who swore he’d never work in a bakery ends up running one of the busiest donut operations in Michigan? In this episode of The Perfect Rise , Chef Kimberly Houston sits down with Gary VanderStelt, owner of Sprinkles Donuts , to talk about how a family legacy turned into a ful...

What does it really take to become a Certified Master Baker? In this episode of The Perfect Rise , Chef LeeAnn Adams shares her journey—from late nights in the kitchen to passing one of the most intense baking exams in the industry. We talk about the written and practical tests, the pressure, the power of mentorship, and the lifelong impact of becoming a CMB. If you’re a baker chasing excellence o...

What does it take to go from actor to baker—and find your flavor voice along the way? In this episode of The Perfect Rise , host Kimberly Houston sits down with Taylor Craft, a Kendall College grad and career changer who left a 13-year front-of-house career to chase creativity and precision in pastry. Taylor opens up about her culinary school experience post-2020, how flavor theory changed her bak...