Last week, we bid a fond farewell (but not for forever!) to one of the Gluuteny family, our beloved baker Josh. He's been a top-notch employee/friend for the past year and he brought a smile to everyone who worked with him. He will be sorely missed, but we wish him all the best in his new career...and you better visit us, Josh!
If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting some of our behind the scenes crew, you're missing out. I think of everyone here as part of a weird rag-tag circus family (and I mean that lovingly). Over the years, we've had quite a few interesting characters working with us, each of whom has added their own personality to the overall feel. When I was hired in 2008, I was surprised to be so welcomed into the tight knit group that already worked here. Almost immediately after I started, I was hanging out with my new friends/co-workers and going to picnics at Mojca's. When Marc started mixing and packaging flour out of her home, she always made him stop and take a break to eat dinner with her family (and she even sent some of her awesome spring rolls home for me!). And this year for my birthday, everyone at work helped in organizing a suprise party. Considering all of the hours we put in before Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas, we practically spend every holiday together.
Any of us here can tell you that working at a bakery is more than frosted cupcakes and sweet smells. Sometimes it can be a high pressure, consuming job, not to mention one that starts as early as 2am. But nearing the end of a 12 hour shift, you often find yourself laughing at a someone singing or you might even find yourself hanging out with them at the bar before you even go home. You can stop in any Saturday morning and you're likely to hear a few of our inside jokes or what sounds like a party in the kitchen. We work hard, and we stay sane by playing hard too. It's refreshing to feel so in sync with people that you meet by chance, and it's neat how we all fill our own little niches at Gluuteny. Like our adorable weekend girls, Serena and Natalie, the little chicks to my protective mother hen. Plus there are people I look at as brothers or sisters of sorts. And we've all done something embarassing here at one point or another, but it's okay because we are among friends.
I hope Josh enjoyed his time working here as much as we enjoyed him being here with us. If he's anything like me, he will take with him a lot of the memories and friendships that he's made along the way.
We'll miss you, buddy!