Fermentation by Design: Scheduling for Flavor and Flow

Monday, May 11, 2026 | 10:00am–4:00pm ET 

Optimizing efficiency, maximizing flavor potential, and producing consistently with time and space constraints is the daily test of a professional bakery. This class focuses on the decisions that help bakers protect the craft while improving predictability, throughput, and flexibility. 

Led by Rachel Wyman (CIA Baking & Pastry Arts Lecturer; former CEO/Head Baker, Montclair Bread Company), this hands-on session explores how to chart fermentation curves and production flow through targeted formula and process choices. We’ll dig into the variables that matter most in production: hydration, preferment selection, fermentation strategy, retarding tactics, and zero-waste approaches that support both margin and sustainability. 

Participants will bake and compare three core dough styles: lean, sourdough, and enriched, using contrasting fermentation and holding approaches. Along the way, we’ll evaluate dough behavior, flavor development, and operational impact, then build production schedules for each bread that translate directly to your bakery: supporting smarter prep, greater yields, and more predictable results. 

This session is presented in partnership with Revent Inc.  

Rachel Wyman is a Lecturing Instructor, Baking and Pastry Arts at the Culinary Institute of America and an award‑winning artisan baker known for her deep expertise in bread and doughnut production. A CIA alumna, she spent more than a decade leading the Montclair Bread Company in Montclair, NJ, where she developed signature recipes and guided a large, diverse bakery team. Her career includes key roles in research and development and production at industry‑leading bakeries such as Tribeca Oven, Amy’s Breads, Wegmans, and Bread Alone.  

Recognized as one of Bake magazine’s “Top 25 Most Influential Bakers in the U.S.,” Rachel has earned national acclaim, including multiple wins in America’s Best Raisin Bread Competition and a Grand Champion title on Food Network’s Donut Showdown. She was also a finalist for Team USA in the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie.  

Rachel is the author of Will Run for Doughnuts and brings her passion for craft baking and technique into the classroom to inspire the next generation of bakers. 

To make it easier for bakery owners to bring team members, we’re offering two ticket tiers for members:

• First ticket: $350
• Additional tickets: $300 each