Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Chizh.
Hi Julia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I wanted to bake my own bread for many years. Still, for many reasons, I believed a misconception that the process is lengthy and complicated, taking several hours, that would ultimately tie me up to my house during that time. Then, one day, I decided I would just start. After watching several YouTube videos and reading recipes, I began for myself. The first few loaves could have been more impressive and involved much trial and error. Once I realized how good the bread tasted and its health benefits, I continued to bake and started to make loaves for friends and family. Later, friends asked me to teach them how to bake it for themselves, which I did. Once they tried for themselves and could bake even with busy work schedules or small kids around, they realized it was completely doable and enjoyable. You get an inexplicable feeling of satisfaction when you work with your hands to provide the best possible food options for your family. My main reason for starting Let’s Bake Bread, Jax! was the desire and need to make healthier choices for my family. We go through a lot of bread in just one week, which could impact our health based on ingredients and all types of additives and preservatives. The uniqueness of sourdough bread is the immense amounts of nutrients and healthy bacteria that develop during the dough’s long, natural fermentation process. There are thousands of videos and websites with recipes teaching you to bake bread at home, but no hands-on training is available here in Jacksonville. Many old-school life skills have disappeared from our schools due to our busy work schedules and the microwave lifestyle. I want to bring those skills back, even one at a time. I find it satisfying to know that I am giving my family and others that which is healthy, knowing it is safe, without any harmful or unnecessary ingredients.
Further, multiple variations of bread or baked goods can be made using the ancient sourdough process to match any taste. Another great benefit of baking at home is financial savings versus the costs of pricey healthy or organic options. When we get together for a class, it’s a fun time of fellowship and enjoying different condiments and pairings with fresh bread. I have cheeses, herb and oil mixes, dips, and drinks. I want this time to be delightful and memorable for all.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been relatively smooth so far?
The starting process could have been smoother. There is a learning curve which is due to many changing variables, such as house temperature, correctly planning the baking schedule, and choosing the best ingredients such as flour and salt. There were flops. It also takes quite some time to get the word out there and gather interest about what I am doing, which makes the road a bit longer. Anything with a business, especially freelancers, takes time to build and grow, and this is true for me as well. As I hear from people I encounter daily, many would love to bake sourdough bread but face the same obstacle of fear of failure or intimidation of the process. I want to help them see that it’s doable and can be worked into their daily life.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Let’s Bake Bread, Jax?
I am the person behind the business’s administrative and financial side. Since I am very analytical and enjoy numbers and solving problems, I enjoy analyzing data and calculating costs, pricing, profits, and . In addition, I enjoy managing projects, the full process, from start to finish, including insignificant to-do- items to major milestones, and I have many years experience in business. I also designed and built websites for our other business and bread-making endeavors. Although I am not a professional web designer, I have a creative side and love learning new things. I enjoy learning and challenges because I can start something new. We continuously add, modify, and build services based on clients’ needs. I often recognize problems or frustrations and come up with solutions to them. In the future, I look forward to offering hands-on baking classes at local cooking schools and stores to allow as much people as possible experience the joy of baking bread at home.
What does success mean to you?
Success is completing something – a task, a to-do list, a project, an idea, or a dream. This involves taking the first step, meeting all the following steps, and completing the final step. Too many dreams, projects, and ideas are unsuccessful simply because they have yet to be started. Every person has much to give through their gifts, talents, and creativity that sits undiscovered.
Pricing:
- Depends on the type of class. The starting price is $125 per person for a 3-hour class. This also includes a baking schedule and a loaf to take home to bake.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.letsbakebreadjax.com
- Instagram: @letsbakebreadjax
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsbakebreadjax
