When Marcin decided to open his bakery Bread Morning by Pielin in Wilda it was risky but it has paid off and is now one of the best bakeries in Poznań. We met up with Marcin to hear his story.
Who decided on the name ‘Bread Morning by Pielin’?
Me 🙂 Actually, my name is Marcin Kaczmarek Pielin. Pielin is actually my wife’s last name which I use also. She also uses my surname which is quite common in Poland. I had dozens of ideas for a name for the bakery but this made the most sense.
How did you start in this business?
Everything started with a voucher for a culinary workshop that my wife gave me. I loved every minute of the workshop and eventually ended up working under Szmon Sławinski in a restaurant. I moved around from restaurant to restaurant gaining experience until one day out of the blue my favorite chef called me (Ernest Jagodzinski) and asked me if I was looking for a job! I have been lucky to work with some of the best chefs in Poland!
Why change from cooking to baking?
It wasn’t overnight. I started to experiment at home as a hobby. It wasn’t a pretty sight at the beginning hahaha
Baking is difficult?
Anybody can bake but the final results are what matters. It takes a long time to perfect bread. Alot of experimenting and reading is necessary. Knowledge is key!
Do you get inspiration from anywhere?
Im very self driven so not really but there are a few people who have helped me along the way. I remember when Tomasz Dekker, who is one of the best bakers in Europe called me one day after seeing my breads on Fb and it was funny. He told me I was putting too much flour in my breads and gave me some advice. Since then we keep in contact and I can always count on him for advice 🙂
You started out as a chef, so why not open a restaurant?
Money was the main reason. You also need a really good team to succeed in the restaurant business so its not so easy. A bakery seemed easier to be able to open and I have a passion for baking amazing breads so I went for it! I borrowed some money from my family and took the risk.
So you left your job?
Actually, I was laid off because of Covid and the lockdown so it seemed the perfect time to make this move.
I see you are a family-run bakery?
Yeah! My mum is a cookie maker and my dad helps with deliveries. My wife helps me a lot also!
How many different breads do you have?
6 or 7 loaves of bread from light bread with wheat, 100% rye bread, or even Cannabis flower bread.
Cannabis? Is that legal?
Hahaha. Yes, it is. It’s not the same as the stuff you smoke but its really healthy and has a nutty taste.
What’s your most popular bread?
One is a white country bread (round) with a crunchy skin and fluffy and wet inside. The second is a 100% rye dark bread with fresh coffee, cumin, oranges, and dark rye malt. They always get sold out by 9-10 am.
Anything else?
I make great Drożdżówka’s every day with fresh fruit. Not flat like normal Drożdżówka’s but around 10 cm high with lots of butter and eggs. They are very popular so come early if you want to try one! My Chałka is also popular. It’s big and fluffy with oranges and crumble or almonds on the top. Let’s not forget my mum’s cookies either. They are generally with lemon or chocolate but we change the recipe often so expect something different every time you come 🙂
What time do you get up every day?
Hahaha. I start work early so I get up at 03:30 every morning 🙂
Apart from baking I heard you live on a farm?
Hahaha. I’m not sure you can call it a farm but I live with nature for sure. We have chickens, our own bees, and 3 dogs 🙂 Actually, we make our own butter and honey and generally, everything we eat is from our land including vegetables, fruits, and herbs. We eat what we have around us 🙂
I also heard you are a bit of a writer.
Hahaha. I’m trying my best. Actually, in my free time, I’m writing a couple of books. One is with some short stories and the second is about crime and horror, Stephen King style!
Finally, it has been a pleasure to meet you. What for the future?
Buy a field next to our house and grow even more fruits and vegetables. Maybe some more animals would be cool also! I would like to get my books published also so let’s see what happens 🙂
