On Thursday, May 8, a line of people waiting for a taste of artisan treats wrapped around McClaskey Culinary Institute and into Gaiser Hall. The annual Baking Capstone, led by Chef Alison Dolder, is one of the biggest culinary events of the year.

Second-year baking students spent weeks testing recipes for their very own pop-up menus. One student created a fairy forest, pastries arranged on stumps, and red button mushrooms sprouting from the table. Another decorated eclairs like dachshunds. Yet another fused Mexican flavors with Viennoiserie, serving elote and concha flavored croissants.

“I learned I’m more capable than I thought I was”

While stressful to take charge of their own pop-ups, meeting the challenge gave students confidence.

Student Andrew Kehler, above, who presented a table bursting with artisan breads in baskets and on bamboo cutting boards, said, “I learned I’m more capable than I thought I was. I was telling my classmates, “It’s freaking me out, it’s kind of scary…everything turned out perfectly fine.”

Katelynn House, above, who showed a variety of creative Viennoiserie, shared, “The first few weeks I was trying things out, practicing. Then, the last couple of weeks I really cracked down. Then today came along, and it was a ride. But I did finish on time, and it’s beautiful.”

Katelynn’s favorite bake? The orange cinnamon rolls.

It was clear how much Chef Melanie Hendry inspired the students. Kehler said, “I chose to do bread for my pop-up because it is one of the activities that most resonated with me in the bakery. Chef Melanie showed a passion for it, and it kind of rubbed off on me… I love that I can take my time with bread. You kind of get to know it more intimately… it is a lot of concentration, knowing what you’re doing… taking your time, being patient with it and working with it.”

Kehler was most proud of the cinnamon sugar monkey bread, which he said was a surprise that came together at the last minute.

Leaving a legacy with a cookbook zine

This year, Chef Melanie collaborated with librarians Andrea Berg and Katy Anastasi on a new idea: a cookbook zine. Over several months, the librarians hosted workshops guiding students to design uniquely colorful pages. Captivated, the students spent hours in the library gluing, cutting, and drawing pages with pop-up recipes, stories, jokes, and coloring pages.

The zine—titled “Eat the Pastriarchy”—inspired sprawling conversations about collaboration, legacy, creativity, and privacy.

A copy of the zine will be archived in the zine collection in Cannell Library, so anyone can sneak a peek at the students’ baking secrets.

Berg shared, “The library was excited to support and excited to feature the cookbook zine in our zine library as another way for these bakers to have a lasting legacy at Clark. We had so much fun working with the baking students, they were so creative and supportive of each other and were excited about the zine project as a way to celebrate their own work and inspire future generations of Clark bakers.”

When the librarians brought the finished zines to the capstone, the students immediately circled to rifle through the pages and see their work in print, giggling and showing their friends and family.

About Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute

At the Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute at Clark College, we are building on nearly 60 years of excellence in culinary education to offer programs that prepare students to meet the growing demand for culinary and hospitality professionals. Our programs emphasize the mastery of the fundamentals as well as management and critical thinking skills to prepare students for a range of career opportunities.

Working in a new state-of-the-art facility, students gain real-world experience in high-volume food production, service, and retail settings. The Culinary Institute also creates a community space on campus that highlights the growing influence of food on our culture while giving students valuable hands-on experience in a production kitchen, retail bakery, food kiosks, and a full-service dining room.

Photos: Clark College/Carly Rae Zent

Gage Gwynn was pursuing a general associate degree at Clark College when he mentioned to his math professor that he enjoyed baking and had heard positive reviews of Clark’s Professional Baking and Pastry Arts program. His professor talked so effusively about it that Gwynn eventually enrolled in the program.

“I’m really good at math,” he explained. “And I also like baking. They go together.”

Gwynn was one of eight second-year baking students who presented their capstone project to the college community and their families on May 9 in the McClaskey Culinary Institute Food Court in Gaiser Hall.

An enthusiastic crowd of Clark students, staff, and community members waited in a very long line for an opportunity to sample artful and delicious baked goods prepared by the students.

The much-awaited annual event is the culmination of their capstone project. They spent the first five weeks of spring term creating their final presentations. Each student chose their focus: bread, plated dessert, or viennoisserie (laminated doughs).

Before the ravenous crowd was allowed to storm the bakery tables, all the baked goods were judged by professional bakers who examined the baked goods, asked students questions about their techniques and ingredients—and then tasted everything.

Finally, the judges finished. By this time, the crowd was growing restless. The line snaked through the food court, down the hall, and nearly to the north entrance of Gaiser Hall.

Then Alison Dolder, Professional Baking and Pastry Arts instructor stepped to the front of the waiting crowd and introduced the 2024 capstone project. She stepped aside as people made a beeline to tables where baking students stood behind mouth-watering displays of their baked goods. 

The bakers patiently offered samples of pain au chocolat, tiramisu, cambozola cheesecake Napoleon, salted caramel cream puff, chocolate babka, and much more to the eager tasters.

Real-world experience

These students have completed their classes at Clark. Next, they will get hands-on real-world work experience immersed in internships in professional bakeries in Vancouver and Portland. During the five-week internships, students must work a minimum of 24 hours per week. Some will work more.

In June these students will earn an associate in applied technology degree in Professional Baking and Pastry Arts Management.

Meet the Bakers

Miranda Kirby

Capstone focus: Viennoiserie (laminated doughs)
Internship: Bakeshop in Portland

Isabella Alvarez

Capstone focus: Individual desserts
Internship: Di Tazza Gourmet Coffee and Café, Vancouver 

Max Harrell

Capstone focus: Viennoiserie (laminated doughs)
Internship: Forevers Bakery, Hazel Dell

Genesis Skjeie

Capstone focus: Viennoiserie (laminated doughs)
Internship: Di Tazza Gourmet Coffee and Café, Vancouver 

Annika Davila

Capstone focus: Individual desserts
Internship: Farina Bakery, Portland

Emily Baker

Capstone focus: Individual desserts, particularly petit four
Internship: Chandelier Bakery, Vancouver 

Jessica Ray

Capstone focus: Individual desserts
Internship: Dream Cakes, Portland

Gage Gwynn

Capstone focus: Artisan breads, particularly sourdough
Internship: Fleur De Lis Bakery & Cafe, Portland

View photos on our Flickr page: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBpucE
Photos Clark College/Jenny Shadley

Every Clark College student enrolled in the Professional Baking and Pastry Arts program takes RBA’s certified journey exam as part of the curriculum expectations.  

Are you an enthusiastic home baker who has perfected choux pastry, meringues, and macarons? Do you relax by binge-watching episodes of The Great British Baking Show starring judges Prue Leith and that persnickety Paul Hollywood? Baking enthusiasts have a rare opportunity to watch professional bakers complete rigorous baking tests in Clark’s baking kitchens in October. 

Clark College’s Tod & Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute will open its baking kitchens to host two national tests for professional bakers October 20-22. The college’s Professional Baking and Pastry Arts program will host the Retail Bakers of America’s certified baker and certified master baker practical tests. This is the first time the college is hosting the test.  

“Clark College is honored and excited to host Retail Bakers of America to our campus kitchen,” said Alison Dolder, professional baking and pastry arts instructor who leads Clark’s program. “We have a large viewing window in our kitchen, so anyone can come and watch the test.” 

Clark College is one of only three RBA testing sites scheduled during this academic year. The others are the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Ill. Recent RBA exams were in New York, San Antonio, Palm Beach and Chicago.  

Dolder worked with Marissa Velie, RBA certification and education director, to bring the national tests to the college’s baking kitchens.  

“The RBA is always looking for great test sites across the country,” Velie said. “It was time for us to visit the West Coast and give bakers in that part of the country the opportunity to get certified. Having the exam at Clark College has been a long time in the making and we are excited to finally make it a reality. Clark College has everything required for a test site: ample space and all necessary equipment to host several candidates.”  

The Practical Test  

The purpose of the certification program is to verify professional competency in the baking industry. The RBA has three levels of baking certification: certified journey baker, certified baker, and certified master baker. The test is open to any professional baker in the U.S. who qualifies to take the exam. US Foods and Bakemark donated ingredients for the test.

For the Certified Master Baker exam that will be administered at Clark College, bakers must have at least 10 years of industry experience and must pass a 200-question written exam before they can take the practical test. Velie will travel to Clark’s campus to administer the practical tests, which will entail 8 hours of production on both Saturday, Oct. 21 and Sunday, Oct. 22. Candidates will be provided with RBA recommended recipes but may choose to use their own recipes.  

The judges for the exam at Clark College will be Lee Ann Adams, Bakery Development Manager at Sheetz in Claysburg, Penn. and Collette Christian, Chef Instructor for the online program at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. All RBA judges are Certified Master Baker professionals. Test results will be provided to candidates immediately following the exam.  

“This is a great opportunity for our students to observe experienced bakers go through the rigorous process of the certified master baker exam,” Dolder said. “Someday, it could be them.” 

About Clark College’s Professional Baking and Pastry Arts program  

Clark College has offered professional baking education for more than 60 years. By blending a mastery of classic, fundamental techniques with the interpersonal and management skills needed in hospitality, the Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute at Clark College offers all the ingredients students need for a successful culinary career—competitive programs, a seasoned team of instructors, a state-of-the-art culinary facility and collaborative industry partnerships. Clark College offers two options for prospective bakers: a certificate of achievement in Baking and Pastry Arts Fundamentals and an associate of applied technology degree in Professional Baking and Pastry Arts Management. Learn more here.  

About Retail Bakers of America   

Founded in 1918, the Retail Bakers of America, a not-for-profit trade association, is committed to the success of the retail baking industry. Its certification program is recognized throughout the industry as a standard for excellence in skills and knowledge. Learn more here. 

The Penguin Student Lounge looked and smelled like a delectable bakery as second-year students in Clark’s Professional Baking and Pastry Arts program displayed their creations as part of their capstone project. 

In the first portion of the capstone project, two professional bakers from Portland served as judges in a closed-door session. Greg Mistell, owner, Fleur De Lis Bakery & Café and Josh Svenhard, manager, Eurobake Bakery examined all the baked goods, asked students questions about their techniques and ingredients—and then the judges tasted everything. Fans of “The Great British Baking Show,” know the drill.  

After the judging, it was time for tasting. About 20 people waited outside the lounge in anticipation. When Alison Dolder, Professional Baking and Pastry Arts instructor, unlocked the doors, people made a beeline to tables where five second-year baking students had set up mouth-watering displays of their baked goods.  

Students spent five weeks preparing and baking for their capstone projects. Sometimes the baked goods didn’t come out right, and the student tried again.  

Looking around the room, Professor Dolder said, “They did a nice job. It was good for them to hear from industry professionals who aren’t their instructors.” 

Students have spent two years in the program and will earn an Associate in Applied Technology degree in Professional Baking and Pastry Arts Management. 

May 3 was the students’ last day of class. Next, students get hands-on work experience immersed in internships in professional bakeries in the community. During the five-week internships, students must work a minimum of 24 hours per week. Some will work more. Another student completed his capstone project earlier so that he could travel to Spain for his internship. 

Baker Kenzie Wallers will be doing her internship at Papa Haydn. “I’m excited,” she said. “I’ve already been hired to work full time.” 

Baking changed their lives 

Some students pursued baking right out of high school while others followed other careers but chose baking. 

McKenzie Cullen was a youth librarian before the pandemic. Although she enjoyed her job, she said, “COVID made me rethink what I’m doing with my life. I love baking!” 

Carolyn Nance, 35, said, “I’ve been dreaming about being a baker for a long time. These have literally been the best two years of my life. Clark’s program is even better than I expected.” 

Meet the Bakers: 

McKenzie Cullen 

Capstone focus:  Viennoiserie (laminated doughs) including puff pastry apple turnover, chocolate chip Schnecken croissant, puff pastry palmier, puff pastry vol au vent 

Internship:  Gluten Free Gem, Portland 

Allyson Hartwig 

Capstone focus:  Artisan bread including Nutella raspberry Babka (sweet braided bread), baguette, Winston knot and butter rolls 

Internship:  Di Tazza Gourmet Coffee and Café, Vancouver 

Anna Kakorin 

Capstone focus:  Individual desserts including opera cakes, raspberry vanilla cream puffs, Prinsesstårta (Swedish princess cake), orange creamsicle éclair, and Medovik (Russian summer honeycake)   

Internship:  Chandelier Bakery, Vancouver 

Carolyn Nance 

Capstone focus:  Artisan breads including baguette, pan bread, ciabatta and braided brioche 

Internship:  Forevers Bakery, Hazel Dell 

Kenzie Wallers 

Capstone focus:  Individual desserts including cream puffs, eclairs, mousse bomb, tiramisu, profiteroles and caramel cascade 

Internship:  Papa Haydn, Portland 

Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish