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Meet Carlos, the Baker
B1 👤 Profile · 319 words · about 2 min
A profile of a man who left an office job to open a bakery.
Every morning at four o’clock, when most of the city is still asleep, the lights go on in a small shop on Garden Street. Inside, Carlos Mendez is already working. The smell of fresh bread fills the air, and by six the first customers are waiting at the door.
Every morning at four o’clock, when most of the city is still asleep, the lights go on in a small shop on Garden Street. Inside, Carlos Mendez is already working. The smell of fresh bread fills the air, and by six the first customers are waiting at the door.
Carlos is forty-two years old. Ten years ago he worked in an office, where he spent his days in front of a computer. He earned good money, but he was never happy. "I felt that I was doing nothing real," he says. "At the end of the day I couldn’t show anyone what I had made."
Carlos is forty-two years old. Ten years ago he worked in an office, where he spent his days in front of a computer. He earned good money, but he was never happy. "I felt that I was doing nothing real," he says. "At the end of the day I couldn’t show anyone what I had made."
His grandmother used to bake bread every Sunday, and Carlos always remembered those days. One winter he took a short course in baking, just for fun. After the first lesson, he knew that he had found what he wanted to do. A year later, he left his job, borrowed some money from his brother and opened the bakery.
His grandmother used to bake bread every Sunday, and Carlos always remembered those days. One winter he took a short course in baking, just for fun. After the first lesson, he knew that he had found what he wanted to do. A year later, he left his job, borrowed some money from his brother and opened the bakery.
The beginning was difficult. He worked sixteen hours a day, and in the first months he sold only a few loaves. But he kept trying. He listened to his customers, who asked for less sugar and more whole grain, and he slowly changed his recipes. Today his bread is famous in the area, and people come from other districts to buy it.
The beginning was difficult. He worked sixteen hours a day, and in the first months he sold only a few loaves. But he kept trying. He listened to his customers, who asked for less sugar and more whole grain, and he slowly changed his recipes. Today his bread is famous in the area, and people come from other districts to buy it.
Carlos now has three employees, and he is teaching one of them, a young woman called Laila, to become a baker. "I want to pass on what I learned," he explains. On Saturdays he also holds a free class for children, who learn to make their own small rolls.
Carlos now has three employees, and he is teaching one of them, a young woman called Laila, to become a baker. "I want to pass on what I learned," he explains. On Saturdays he also holds a free class for children, who learn to make their own small rolls.
In his free time, Carlos likes cycling and reading. He still gets up very early, even on Sundays, and he says he doesn’t mind. "Some people wait for the weekend," he says with a smile. "For me, every day is a good day to bake."
In his free time, Carlos likes cycling and reading. He still gets up very early, even on Sundays, and he says he doesn’t mind. "Some people wait for the weekend," he says with a smile. "For me, every day is a good day to bake."