Michelle Gayer-Nicholson - Biography
You may wonder how Michelle Gayer-Nicholson was lured from Chicago after ten years at the prestigious Charlie Trotter’s but for her the move was an opportunity not to be missed. Gayer-Nicholson had dreamed of opening a bakery and had even been presented with other opportunities in the past, but she was struck by what Wayne Kostroski and Mark Haugen had to offer. They share her belief in staying true to the product by making recipes from scratch, and using ingredients when they are in season rather than working with things that are artificial or coated with chemicals. The new retail location of Franklin Street Bakery gives Gayer-Nicholson the chance to shine making foods that are the products of these values.
Michelle’s high profile move has garnered much attention from media outlets as well as much expectation from fans. Rave reviews from critics have turned this neighborhood bakery into the place to shop for delectable desserts and pastries. This time in the limelight has taken Michelle somewhat by surprise as she was used to working under Charlie Trotter, where his was the name everyone would see. Despite her newfound fame, Michelle still describes herself as being the girl in the kitchen who is getting the timer and turning the cookies. Michelle also notes that she’s not working alone in the pastry kitchen. The staff members in the kitchen use Michelle’s recipes to faithfully follow her vision. Staff input is also essential in the creation of those recipes. Michelle stresses the importance of having someone other than herself look at everything so it’s all seen from more than one angle and tasted by more than one person. Michelle says that when you are baking, taste is essential in judging a creation. A dessert may look spectacular on a plate and may sound amazing, but Michelle says that doesn’t matter unless you’ve tasted it. Because there are so many variables involved in baking, and ingredients can react and combine in many different ways, she says chefs need to taste all of their creations in order to completely evaluate them. The tasting that Michelle did as a child has had a profound impact on the products found at Franklin Street Bakery. Michelle credits her mother with influencing her journey into a career in the pastry world. In addition to three home-cooked meals a day, there were also always cookies, bars, and other treats around when Michelle was growing up. Michelle says she never once heard her mother complain about all of this cooking and that, in fact, she made it seem effortless. To this day, Michelle says she will call her mom and ask for the recipe for a frosting or filling. For example, our popular Chocolate Coffee Oat Bundt Cakes are made using her mother’s recipe with amazing ingredients.
Though Michelle’s creations may be new to the Minnesotan palate, she says she hasn’t held back on any of her ideas. Michelle says that because cooking is so popular now, people are tackling complicated recipes at home and have a more sophisticated knowledge about food. Because of this, rather than questioning recipe components, people are more likely to be familiar with ingredients and even know what flavors would complement others.
Michelle can feel free to follow her inspiration, which she says she gets simply from what she would like to eat. Michelle explains, for example, that maybe when pears are in season she’ll see a perfectly ripe, incredibly juicy pear and it could jog her memory of a dessert idea.
Favorite ingredients can provide inspiration for multiple desserts. Michelle has commented on how much she enjoys working with ginger, a spice found in items like our Candied Ginger Scone and our Pumpkin Ginger Muffin. She says ginger provides a nice, natural flavor when used in pieces rather than as a powder. Used this way, the ginger in our products is actually something you’ll bite into, providing what Michelle describes as a flavor explosion.
Sometimes inspiration can come from customers. If someone has a request for lemon bars, for example, Michelle says it would make her think of ways to come up with a unique creation using lemon that would be workable in a retail setting.
Display and packaging are issues that are always involved in creating new products. In a restaurant setting Michelle would have to consider presentation on the plate, accompanying beverages, and course placement. Here at Franklin Street Bakery she thinks about packaging, serving suggestions, and how long something will last on the counter after a customer takes it home.