At the Lazy Gourmet, our team is the heart of everything we do. This week, we are excited to introduce you to our Bakery Team: Rebecca Rancier and David Arsenault.
Describe your role at the Lazy Gourmet.
Rebecca + David: Our roles are to run and maintain the daily functions of the bakery. To ensure that all product that leaves the kitchen meets the high standards of The Lazy Gourmet. Day to day functions include supervising the bakery team, creating custom products and production of baked goods, desserts.
How long have you been with the Lazy Gourmet?
Rebecca: 4.5 years
David: 3.5 years
What are the different types of roles you have had with the company?
Rebecca + David : We’ve both come in and worked our way up through the bakery. Starting as production bakers, working the 3am bake off shifts. Through getting the later shifts, and 2.5 years ago being promoted to pastry chefs.
David: I had a brief period of time when I was working on the sandwich station, as well.
What is your background?
Rebecca: I went to Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, for their baking and pastry program in 2012. I’ve worked in restaurants and bakeries. But catering is where I’ve definitely found my calling. I’ve always loved baking and my mom was a huge influence on that while growing up.
David: After moving to Vancouver in 2003, I started working in restaurants in North and West Vancouver. Originally starting on the culinary side of the kitchen. In 2010, I went to VCC for baking and pastry arts, as the artistic side of pastries and cakes had more of an appeal to me. Since then, I’ve worked in hotel and bakery kitchens, before finding a home at The Lazy Gourmet.
Describe a “typical” day for you at LG.
Rebecca: First thing is Coffee. My mornings start out with making sure the team is on point and have what they need for the day. Once I know they are good to go, I move on to paperwork(and more coffee). This usually consists of looking at the week ahead and coordinating with sales staff. Afterwards, I move on to working on custom orders with David and helping out the team any way I can. This usually involves more coffee…
David: My day starts at 5:30am. Every morning starts off with ensuring orders are going to get out on time. Next would be organizing paperwork and updating any orders for the next day. The rest of the day is taken up with working on custom orders and whatever the day calls for. The thing to keep in mind, is that at The Lazy Gourmet, there is no such thing as a typical day.
What is your favourite thing about your job?
Rebecca: My favourite thing about my job is the variety in the day to day work. No two days are ever the same. It keeps me on my toes, always learning something new.
David: It’s knowing that everyday I have made someone out there smile, because of a little sweet treat that I have made.
What would your co-workers say about you?
Rebecca: I am not much of a morning person, but coffee tends to fix this … most mornings.
David: I talk too much. Way too much. But at least I make them laugh at 6AM.
What is your favourite event you have ever worked on?
Rebecca: My favorite event that I have worked on would have to be a rehearsal dinner we did a few years back. David and I got to create a custom cake for the happy couple. It was a huge cake designed around their love of travel, and coming together from across the world.
David: One of the first big projects I got to work on for the company was a large gingerbread display, for a condo development company. It took 3 weeks to build, had 7 skyscrapers and the base measured 5′ x 8′.
What do you think makes LG different from other catering or event planning companies?
Rebecca + David: The level service our team will got to, to provide the client with what they envisioned for their special event.
What is something nobody knows about you?
Rebecca: I’m a huge Disney movie fan! And that I actually went to school for physics, originally. I was working at my neighbourhood grocery store as a cake decorator at the time, and that’s when I put it together that this is what I wanted to do. It could also be that I couldn’t sit through another math class. But either way, same result.
David: I brew my own beer, wine and mead at home. It is a hobby I picked up a few years ago when I started up on a “make everything from scratch” kick. I don’t typically drink nearly as much as I make, so most of it gets given away to friends and family. Also, I have accumulated a lot of friends and family during this time. Could be unrelated…..
中文 catering@lazygourmet.ca