Flour Power by School of Art, George Mason University

Flour Power TOGETHER WE RISE

Emily Monseur

Copyright © 2022 Emily Suzanne Monseur All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Book designed by Emily Suzanne Monseur.

Printed by Alpha Graphics, in the United States of America

This book is in honor of my mother, Thank you for always supporting my dreams and interests growing up, I know you would be proud of who I have become.

Meals make the society, hold the fabric together in lots of ways that were charming and interesting and intoxicating to me. The perfect meal, or the best meals, occur in a context that frequently has very little to do with the food itself Anthony Bourdain

PREFACE Baking and culture played a significant role in my own life even before I worked at Wegmans. My family ethnicity is Lebanese, and I have been surrounded by relatives who cook, bake, and feed our large extended family. My own mother was an excellent cook and a very skilled baker. She passed away when I was 11 years old. This has left a huge void in my life, and when I came to work at Wegmans, most workers in the bakery were women and mothers. As we got to know each other, they began to treat me like a daughter which has been a great comfort and a powerful inspiration to me. The title of this book, Flour Power: We Rise Together accurately sums up the work experience in the bakery at Wegmans. Working the early shift means we all rise early in the morning to come to work. Most of the desserts we make contain flour which forms the cookie dough, cake batters, and pastries. Although these desserts look very delicate and dainty, making them in an industrial kitchen requires a lot of teamwork and muscle power. We lift heavy trays, pans, large boxes, heavy industrial mixing bowls, move bakers’ racks, and other equipment. Even moving a full sheet cake takes a good bit of strength. My colleagues in the bakery are women of varying ages—some younger and others older; some are petite, and others are taller. We often work in pairs, and we always work as a team. In any given shift, the group lifts hundreds

of pounds of equipment and food. Together we are very powerful—our strength lies in our work ethic, our commitment to the Wegmans mission, our friendships and trust with each other. The stories in this book are told by a group of bakers at Wegmans who all have unique backgrounds. Where they began and the paths that led them to the bakery are all part of what shapes our small community. With over four years of experience, I have formed friendships and bonds with these women. While each person comes from an entirely different background and experience, collectively we share a workplace culture and a love of baking. As I interviewed each person, I followed a set of questions and created a storyline of their responses and the relationship I have with each baker. The questions are tailored to their culture and traditions as well as their interest in Wegmans and specifically the bakery. With this in mind, each profile describes the individual’s experience as a part of the larger group in the bakery. This then will end with my personal interview and reflection of the community I am connected to. Some of the themes throughout will touch on teamwork, collaboration, and the friendships created at work.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Sugar Spice and A Lot of Elbow Grease | 10

Everyday You Get Our Best | 14

Melanie Salguero | 16

Thanh Le | 22

Mercedes Fiallega | 28

Hodalo Bini | 34

Margarita Nedru | 40

Gisela Angeles | 46

Nitaya Silapasat | 52

Emily Monseur | 58

Final Thoughts | 64

References | 66

SUGAR AND SPICE AND A LOT OF ELBOW GREASE As any day starts at the bakery, the first stop is at the coffee shop for a morning buzz. Since most shifts start in the morning, some as early as 3am, we all have to be early risers! Having a cup of coffee to start your shift is practically tradition in the bakery. Depending on if you are scheduled to work in breakfast, cakes, patisserie, cookies, or even breads, there are a lot of variations of how your day will pan out. Even with these roles, one of the most important things to do as you enter is greet everyone in the bakery. Since most employees have worked in the bakery for years, these interactions are second nature and are never forgone. For the most part, the first task that everyone does is look out at the display cases, review the stock, and check for shrink.

The amount of product previously made will play a large role in how much work will need to be done before the end of your shift. After reviewing the displays, the next place to look will be the production guide. This determines how much was created the prior year and aids in the decision-making about how much will be made of each item. Before starting any production, you should be prepared to get messy. Wearing an apron, gloves, hairnet, and cut gloves are all part of the attire. Even with all this protective gear, it is very common to still get covered in buttercream, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and all the other ingredients throughout the bakery. While the day and the baking begin, customers will start shopping, the phones will 10

ring, and the noise level will rise as the energy grows throughout the store. Depending on the day of the week, the buzz may develop quicker and larger than others, but it is how every day begins at Wegmans. With these sounds in mind, it is clear that many different processes go on throughout the day. On the cookies side we check for shrink, set up and fill the display, prep the cookie dough for baking, start decorating the sugar cookies and start any cookie orders for the day that need to be completed. The patisserie side also needs to check for shrink and any orders that need to be completed, begin washing and cutting fruit, and start a streamline of production including the fruit tarts, crème brûlées, mousses, chocolate teacups, cheesecakes, eclairs, chocolate dipped strawberries, and other desserts that are included throughout the patisserie case. The cake decorators often start earlier

around 4 or 5 in the morning. This is because the decorators have to set up and prep all the ingredients for the cakes. After setting up they are able to start with the orders. Some days they will have 15 orders, and on others they can have over 100+ orders. Whether customers want roses, balloons, photos, or any other designs, it can take a lot of time to ensure that everything comes out exactly the way it was requested for the order. As for the seasonal desserts, they have to follow a production guide for the cannolis, cake slices, tres leches, and the banana pudding. Although I do not work on the breakfast or breads side, they are also prepping for the day in different ways such as mixing flour, prepping dough, slicing the bread, and packing everything to go out into the display. The breakfast team will prep the donuts, muffins, croissants, Danish pasteries, and bagels. Keep in mind that all of 11

this setup and production requires breakdown and cleanup at the end of the day. This includes putting the leftover product back into the fridge, getting rid of the trash, scrubbing the counters, and sanitizing all of the surfaces. Even though there is an overwhelming amount of labor happening throughout the bakery, it is still possible to talk to other employees and create

friendships along the way. This sentiment is incredibly important to me, and it is reflected in the meaningful relationships I have with the other bakers. In between the hard work and frenetic activity, there are moments of thoughtful discussion, explanations of jokes and phrases, talks about food, how tired we are, and the occasional gossip about other 12

deep relationships and connections I have developed with them over the past four years. It is also interesting as this connects to the store’s culture and roots as a family-owned company. which eventually would be called Wegmans Food Markets. Some of their core values stem from diversity awareness, high standards, and making a difference with employees or customers. Each chapter highlights an individual interviewed in the bakery. It tells their story with a brief background and connects with the relationship we share with one another. It also illustrates how each persons’ unique identity shapes the work community and how we as a group strengthen one another through collaboration and teamwork.

employees and customers. This all connects with the concept of occupational folklore or, how folklorist Robert McCarl defines it as, “complex of techniques, customs, and modes of expressive behavior which characterize a particular work group” (McCarl 1978, 145). At Wegmans, we go beyond this as friends, mentors, mother figures, and windows into the world at large because of the varied backgrounds of the bakers. The concept of occupational folklore has helped my understanding of the many conversations and stories I have shared with my coworkers and the 13

EVERY DAY YOU GET OUR BEST “At Wegmans, we believe that good people, working toward a common goal, can accomplish anything they set out to do. In this spirit, we set our goal to be the very best at serving the needs of our customers. Every action we take should be made with this in mind. We also believe that we can always achieve our goal only if we fulfill the needs of our own people. To our customers and our people, we pledge continuous improvement, and we make the commitment: ‘every day you get our best.’”

Wegmans Food Markets is a family company, founded in 1916, headquartered in Rochester, N.Y. Before the store was known as Wegmans Food Markets, it was called Rochester Fruit & Vegetable Company. The regional grocery chain now has 106 stores: 48 in New York, 18 in Pennsylvania, nine in New Jersey, 13 in Virginia, eight in Maryland, six in Massachusetts, and four in North Carolina. It is one of the largest private companies in the U.S. with 52,000 employees and annual sales in 2021 of $11.2 billion. But it’s more than 14

this: It’s both a great place to shop and work. Jo Natale, Wegmans’ vice president of media relations says “It is our employees, and the incredible service they provide our customers, that set us apart. We hire the best, and we invest in training and development.” To be first with customers, Wegmans believes it must put its employees first. According to Natale, “In order to be a great place to shop, we must first be a great place to work.” Its mission of “helping people live healthier, better lives through food,” is something that its 52,000 employees can believe in. I grew up shopping at Wegmans with my mom and the rest of our family. My fondness for the store, their reputation as a great employer, and my love of

baking are what made me want to work in the bakery. My younger brother John recently started working at Wegmans as a cashier and in store shopper. We are proud to be a part of Wegmans’ mission so that “every day you get our best.”

MELANIE SALGUERO THREE YEARS OF SERVICE

Melanie Archacki Salguero was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her parents lived there for 4 years after her father got his MBA. They moved back to Syracuse when she was 4 and that is where she grew up. With the experience of traveling and moving to different places, she now has a great appreciation for her hometown and all of Central New York. With her own family, Melanie still thrives while moving around and experiencing different places. Her family has lived in the states South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and now Virginia. For Melanie, Wegmans is a large part of her childhood. Going shopping with her mother, and going down every aisle, unloading the car and putting all the groceries away, cooking and having dinner together. Now that her parents are gone, these memories are even more meaningful. Just being inside Wegmans reminds

her of her parents and it always makes her smile. At 16 years old, Melanie’s first job was a cashier at Wegmans in 1997. She aspired to go to culinary school and was offered a position in the bakery to help gain experience. As she remembered, the bakery was full of moms who worked while their kids were in school. The mothers would often rave about how flexible the scheduling was for their busy lifestyle. Eventually Melanie moved on from Wegmans and pursued culinary school as she originally intended. Now, as a busy mother herself, Melanie decided to apply to Wegmans again, and they were happy to work with her availability. She is able to pick her kids up every day from school, as her schedule is tailored to her active way of life. Melanie learned all of her cooking skills from culinary school. Although her mother did not cook a lot when she was growing up, her family would always 19

day of fasting on Christmas Eve, the vigil night of December 24 is an endless feast of fish and pasta to fill hungry bellies. Though this was a tradition she had as a child, Melanie was happy to nix it as an adult. Since she and her husband are both chefs, they cook and bake a lot at home. Some of the delicious food they make includes paella, Milanese, arroz con pollo, and fresh salads. They also bake a lot from scratch. Pancakes, muffins, cinnamon rolls, cookies, cakes and so much more. Melanie has worked at Wegmans for 3 years now. She truly loves the bakery; there are so many desserts to choose from and she enjoys almost all of them. Another aspect she loves about the bakery is all of her coworkers. She enjoys talking and making lifelong friendships with the other bakers. “Everyone has such a different story; I have learned so much from them all.” She has reflected from her own life and experiences saying,

have dinner together. A lot of the time the dinner was heating up frozen chicken and boxed mac and cheese. Her mother was always tired; she worked full time as a special ed teacher, had 4 kids, and a sick husband. With this in mind, her mother still made a conscious effort to get the family together every night. On Sundays, her mother made “sauce.” This Italian tradition is a whole day dedicated to creating pasta sauce that would be used for dinner that evening. This tradition lasted throughout her childhood. Her mother also used to make “trash” at Christmas time, and Melanie keeps the same tradition in her family in honoring her mother. Though trash is a simple recipe of Chex cereal and pretzels tossed in a coating of chocolate, it helps keep her mother’s memory alive. For other holidays Melanie will go all out cooking everything from scratch. Many hours are put into it, with music and sometimes wine. Her grandmother was 100% Italian so every year for Christmas they followed the “Feast of Seven Fishes.” This tradition connects back to the long-standing Italian tradition of vigilia, a day of fasting that ends with a meal that excludes meat and dairy. After a full 20

“You no longer care about what others think. You truly accept yourself and surround yourself with people that accept you. It’s great! I’m 40 and loving it! And for life in general: some days are easy. Most days are ok. And some days are just really hard. Life is full of ups and downs. Just keep focused on the life you want and slowly working toward it and through all the bumps in the road. Be kind enough to yourself to forgive others and hold the ones you love tight.” I have always admired Melanie for her amazing decorating skills. I remember seeing her cakes for the first time and thinking, “Wow, her handwriting is so neat, and the overall presentation is perfect!” I felt like eventually she would start her own business decorating desserts. Not so long ago, I found out that she started an LLC for her own cake business. Throughout the years Melanie and I have helped each other out in different ways. Sometimes I help her figure

out computer problems when she is trying to print out edible cake images, and she will discuss the specific requests customers have about cakes. Though we don’t often work next to each other, we always greet one another at the beginning of our shifts and randomly find conversation throughout the day. I love talking about my school projects and future job aspirations. I am interested in, and she always gives me positive feedback. I am especially excited to see her new business grow and the opportunities that come along with it. I know that her kids often help her with baking, and they will learn a lot about business and the value of working with your family. Melanie is teaching her kids the joys of baking and passing down valuable skills. As she continues the traditions she and her husband have created in their own lives, they are also creating new ones with their children.

THANH LE THREE YEARS OF SERVICE

Thanh Le is from Biên Hòa, which is the fifth largest city in Vietnam. Biên Hòa is a major suburb of the capital Ho Chi Minh City and is one of the industrial centers in southern Vietnam. Although Vietnam is a Marxist-Leninist republic and remains officially committed to socialism, its economic policies have become increasingly capitalist. Tourism, agricultural exports, seafood, and oil exports are now lucrative economic activities. Tourists are especially attracted to traditional Vietnamese cuisine which is based around five fundamental taste “elements”: spicy (metal), sour (wood), bitter (fire), salty (water), and sweet (earth). Common ingredients include fish sauce, shrimp paste, soy sauce, rice, fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Vietnamese recipes use lemongrass, ginger, mint, Vietnamese mint, long coriander, Saigon cinnamon, bird’s eye chili, lime, and basil leaves. Traditional

Vietnamese cooking is known for its fresh ingredients, minimal use of oil and reliance on herbs and vegetables; it is considered one of the healthiest cuisines worldwide. When Thanh Le came to the United States at the age of 19, she was already an English speaker as well as being fluent in Vietnamese. Her mother taught her to “always be kind, be honest, and be happy.” She also taught her daughter to cook traditional Vietnamese dishes which she continues to prepare today. She told me that she often cooks Vietnamese beef noodle soup (phở), wonton (hoành thánh), Vietnamese pancakes (bánh xèo), fried chicken wings with fish sauce (cánh gà chiên nước mắm), spicy beef noodle soup (bún bò huế). She and her family celebrate Lunar New Year (Tết) which comes somewhere in the last ten days of January or the first twenty days of February. For Vietnamese people, it is a festival of purity and renewal. Houses 25

are cleaned and new clothes are purchased. Many other rituals are followed including cooking a lot of traditional foods. Thanh’s family also celebrates the Mid-autumn Festival (Têt Trung Thu) with traditional desserts like glutinous rice cake (bánh ít), and white bean pudding (chè đậu trăng). They may also have sticky rice cakes (bánh tét), pickled radish (dưa món), bitter melon soup (canh khổ qua), caramelized pork and egg (thịt kho trứng). Thanh is now 36 years-old and she has been working at Wegmans for almost 3 years. She started in the front end of the store before transferring to the bakery. She came to work at Wegmans because she knew about the company’s strong reputation as “a great place to work.” Her favorite things about the bakery are the “fruit tarts, the crème brûlée, and that people treat each other like family.” Thanh has always been such a sweet and positive person while working in the bakery. Since the day

she trained in the patisserie, she learned how busy the bakery can get and it was a lot to adjust to from working as a cashier in the front end. With the everchanging temperatures of being near the 400-degree ovens and continuously opening the freezer, it was something that Thanh had to get used to. Even with these big changes, the bakery became familiar as she learned how to create the fruit tarts. This process included: washing and cutting the fruit, mixing the pastry cream, and baking the Breton crust for the tart. As time went on she became an expert at making them and this has been her consistent role since she started in the bakery. On the days that I would also work in patisserie, we would work across from each other during our shift. In this time, we would talk about whatever came to mind. Sometimes she would tell me about her two sons and how much they love the Wegman’s desserts. They love the donuts, cakes, and fruit tart trifles. On occasion, Thanh has made some fruit tarts and brought it home for them since they

always ask her for some. Though I am not a mother myself, I have a younger brother who reminds me of her sons, and we always talk about the silly things that kids do when they grow up. We also love to talk about food from different cultures and recommend each other different restaurants to eat at. Something Thanh and I love talking about is Korean BBQ and all the tasty elements that make up the dishes. As early as 7am, we will go on and on about how delicious the grilled meats and pickled vegetables are. With food in mind, Thanh has prepared a lot of different dishes from her country for me to try. During our overnight shifts before Christmas, Thanh would make fried egg rolls at home and bring them in for me to have during my 4am lunch break. She also brought in Bánh tét, a glutinous rice roll filled with meat during Lunar New Year. I am constantly amazed at how thoughtful she is and willing to share her own culture with me and I am very

thankful that I am able to experience these important cultural elements with her. Even though we only work together on occasion, I am always looking forward to the nice conversations we share throughout the day. It is also nice working with her because she always thinks of me and helps with my own production. While she brings freshly washed strawberries for me to dip in chocolate for the display, I will bake the back-up Breton crust for her at the end of my shift so she will be prepared for her next shift. It is a balance of teamwork that I always appreciate, especially during the busier times of the year. Regardless of whatever may be going on, Thanh has always been a positive energy in the bakery and I am very thankful to work alongside her through it all.

MERCEDES FIALLEGA SIX YEARS OF SERVICE

Mercedes Fiallega is from Lima, the capital and largest city in Peru. Strongly influenced by European, Indigenous Andean, African, and Asian culture, Lima is a melting pot and a treasure trove of history. For this reason, it is known as the Gastronomical Capital of the Americas. The city hosts the largest food festival in Latin America, called Mistura (“mixture” in Portuguese) annually each September. It attracts crowds now numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Visitors can also explore ancient Incan archeological sites, or stroll through the elegant cathedrals and opulent palaces dating from Spanish colonial times. Lima’s long, rich history and vibrant culture provides a breadth of attractions for visitors and natives alike. It’s also famous for its coffee, chocolate, and ceviche. When asked who taught her to cook, Mercedes commented that, “I was very spoiled growing up and I

didn’t really learn to cook from anyone, but I learned the hard way after coming to the United States and having to learn on my own. My food was so bad, my soups were more water than anything. I often would just spend my money on fast food like McDonalds for my kids when I didn’t feel like cooking and stressing about making something.” But she seems to have gotten the hang of it, because now she says, “I like to cook Peruvian food; this includes rice and chicken most of the time. I also make spaghetti and soup.” On holidays and other special occasions, “I make Panettone. It’s kind of like the orange-cranberry bread we sell [at Wegmans] but it’s taller.” Good Friday is a very special holiday for Mercedes. “When I celebrate, I usually do not work and I am supposed to eat fish, this excludes meats like chicken and beef and pork. Since I didn’t like fish 31

growing up, my mom would make me scrambled eggs for dinner. In my country most places are closed for this holiday. Though in the United States I typically work, I keep the tradition of having fish and I make it for my family and for me, I like to have whatever I want, just avoiding meat. I like to eat bread or oranges. There was one time when we moved into a house we rented and on Good Friday that year we ended up having a BBQ. I felt bad but my husband said, “it’s okay, it’s just one time.” When I was at home it was very different because my family is super traditional, and I felt miserable. I take it easy on my boys because I want them to feel freer with how they celebrate.” Her favorite dessert to make is cheesecake. She explained that “since I’ve been working at Wegmans, it is easier to just buy it at the store since I am always

in the bakery, especially during the holidays. It can be expensive but it’s worth it because I am so tired and don’t feel like doing anything at all, I just want to eat it!” Her favorite Wegmans dessert is the seasonal cheesecake featured during the summer that is lemon flavored with raspberry on top. Mercedes came to the United States at the age of 20. Although she knew some English before coming here, she had never had a job in Lima. In her first years in the United States, she worked as a babysitter taking care of children. Since she was able to bring her own children with her to work, it was very convenient. Before working at Wegmans, she would do her grocery shopping in the store. It was very close to home, so for her it seemed like a good fit. She started working at the bakery in Wegmans six years ago. She remarked that 32

her coworkers are her favorite part of working in the bakery. “Although there are some that I don’t get along with, the ones I do make up for it, and I love being able to talk with them about whatever is on my mind.” She reminded me of the advice she received from her mom: “She would always say, ‘try to be nice and treat people the way you want to be treated.’ This is something I told you when I first met you! But yeah, even when customers or other employees bother you or aren’t very nice, you should always try to be nice. When I look back at the memories I have shared with Mercedes, a lot of different things come to mind. When I was very new, oftentimes the other employees in the bakery would intimidate me because they all had their own methods and worked in very specific ways. Mercedes would tell me, “Don’t worry about how others do stuff in the bakery, there are so many ways to do the same thing and it does not mean that you are doing it wrong.” This statement resonated with me because I used to feel self-conscious about doing tasks differently in comparison to the other bakers, but it is important to recognize that everyone can do their production or tasks in their own way, and we can also all reach the same goal. Mercedes always knows what to say and speaks from her own experience. She actively listens to me, and whatever my issue is, it does not feel as bad as it initially was. I have only worked alongside her on occasion, but each time is always such an enjoyable experience. Since the day can go by pretty fast, we like to remind each other to take breaks, lunches, and even to go to the bathroom. As bakers we often start production and forget to stop and take care of ourselves. It is very easy to get carried away in our work, but it is nice to have someone like Mercedes to remind me that it is important to find a stopping point

so you can eat, drink, or just take a quick break to rest so you are not overworked. Another thing we like to do together is help each other when it is closing time. When she is closing the bread side of the department and I am closing the cakes side, I will often collect her dishes and oil brushes to wash, and she will close down the cookies for the night. With these kind gestures, it makes the closing shift a lot more manageable and even if we are not working beside each other, we are still directly helping one another as a team to close the bakery. Mercedes has always been very kind-hearted and will often treat me like I was her own daughter or niece. When we talk, she will respond with, “yes sweety,” or “of course my dear,” and her greetings always include a warm hug. Although I am finishing up my college degree and will move on from the bakery, I will come back and reconnect, and I am especially looking forward to continuing my friendship with Mercedes outside of Wegmans.

HODALO BINI 11 YEARS OF SERVICE

Hodalo Bini is from Togo, West Africa. Although it is one of the smallest African nations, it has a population of eight million people. Togo is a multilingual country. Thirty-nine distinct languages are spoken there and many of them by communities that number fewer than 100,000 members. Of the 39 languages, the sole official language is French. Two indigenous languages—Ewé and Kabiyé—were designated politically as national languages in 1975. They are also the two most widely spoken indigenous languages in the country. Togo is known to have a rich heritage of oral literature that consists of folktales and legends, heroic epics, historical accounts, war poems, fairy tales, ritualistic chants, and more. A wide variety of handicrafts are also produced in Togo. Kpalimé is the nation’s hub for crafts like weaving, wood sculpture,

batiks, painting, pottery, wickerwork, ceramics, decorated calabashes, etc. Hodalo speaks six languages: French, Ewé, Kabiyé, Losso, Ntcham, and now English. While living in Togo, she was employed as a social worker. She worked with hospitals to find help for people in need. Her clients were those who struggled financially, those who needed housing, food, and medical care. This was a very rewarding job for Hodalo. She could see the results of her work and felt like she was helping make the world a better place. When Hodalo came to the United States at age 37, she knew only the few words in English that she had learned in high school. She learned to speak English by watching television shows for children such as Dora the Explorer. She used to shop for her groceries at Wegmans and really liked the store. It was 37

like decorating cakes because it is a lot of fun.” One of the traditions she has carried over to the United States from her home country is that once every month she “gets together with friends and family and talks about each other’s life and problems, and if there is something that someone needs help with, we collectively help each other. If someone has a sick parent or someone passed away, we raise money for the person.” This type of support system is very common in Togo, especially in rural areas. The family is the core of the support system to all of its members. Hodalo has given me the advice that “life has a lot of surprises, if something happens to you, you need to be patient and have faith. It is important to pray because all the solutions in life come from God. Trust in your prayers, don’t trust too much in people because they are just people, they have their problems too.” so interesting to her that she decided to apply for a job. She started in the kitchen with prepared foods for one year, and then she moved to the bakery. She has worked in the bakery for 11 years. Today she is 51 years old. She continues to cook Togolese-style rice, potatoes, fufu, fried eggs, meat, and akume at home. Her mother taught her to cook all of these traditional dishes and she cherishes them. She doesn’t usually make any traditional desserts during the holidays because she’s working a lot, but she does buy them from Wegmans because they are so delicious. Her favorite is the fruit tart which she says is “not too sweet, the fruit inside is sour, and the cream is simple and sweet, so they all balance each other.” She says her favorite thing about the bakery is “helping customers, because it is reminiscent of my old job in Africa when I used to help people. I also 38

if others hear her. Perhaps some customers and other employees may not understand it, but I know that this is not a concern to her as it is something she practices every day, and lives by it. I truly admire this about her and the strong faith she has in God. No matter how bad the situation can be or if life has been very difficult, she is persistent that things will get better and tries her best in whatever she is doing. Whether she is decorating cakes or filling cannoli shells, she puts in a lot of effort to ensure that everything is consistent and beautiful. Her craft is very purposeful, and the intention is that customers will be excited and happy after picking out a dessert. Hodalo has also struggled in the past with taking orders and decorating cakes. This is because she is not confident in her English-speaking abilities and was not comfortable with writing on cakes. Over the years I have watched her grow as she has pushed through these obstacles, and now she is one of the cake decorators. Though she still struggles from time to time with understanding English, she does her best at understanding and is continuously getting better every day.

Hodalo and I became friends a few years ago as I started to work on the cakes side of the department. I did not know much about her in the beginning, but I knew she had a kind heart. We began by working on the seasonal desserts together. This is where I learned more about her. At this point I had learned that she is a single parent and has had a rough relationship in her past. Now divorced, the most important and largest drive in her life is her daughter. Often times during the day, her daughter calls her, and they discuss how her day has gone, and what dinner will be. Hodalo is always thinking of the next moment and the care her daughter may need. Regardless of the hard life she has had, Hodalo remains faithful. A lot of shifts I catch her meditating and praying to herself out loud. She also likes to sing religious songs and does not mind

MARGARITA NEDRU 12 YEARS OF SERVICE

Margarita Nedru is originally from Sarandë, Albania. It’s a small city in the southwestern part of Albania. It is situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean, two nautical miles from the Greek island of Corfu. The weather in Sarandë is very sunny, mild, and beautiful, and because of that, many tourists come to visit the city—often referred to as part of the Albanian Riviera. Near Sarandë are the remains of the ancient city of Butrint, an archeological site and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, which is also a popular tourist attraction. While she lived in Sarandë, Margarita’s family owned a store that sold bread and cheese. When she immigrated to the United States at the age of 50, she gave the store to her daughter and son-in-law. Because her son-in-law is a veterinarian, they converted the store into a clinic for his practice.

Margarita and her husband came to the United States in order to be close to their other daughter who had gotten married and was now living here. Her husband wanted to be close to their grandchildren to be able to care for them and see them grow. Margarita’s husband got a job at the Wegmans Dulles store, and he worked there for 17 years before transferring to the Leesburg location. Because her husband had been working for Wegmans, she knew that it was a great place to work. Margarita learned to speak English after coming to America, but she is also a fluent speaker of Albanian and Greek. There is a large ethnic Greek community in her home city of Sarandë. The influence that Greek culture had on her upbringing is reflected in her love of cooking Mediterranean and Greek inspired food, as well as her fluency in the Greek language. Her mother 43

When I work with Margarita, she always takes care of me in ways my own grandma would. She will often offer me snacks or leftover cakes, ask if I have taken my break or lunch, and always looks out for me if I need any help. Her personality is soft, comforting, and warm. When we have conversations, she always responds gently and reassuringly that everything is going to be alright. The gesture is always returned when she has customers that she is not able to understand. This is when I am able to step in and help her by explaining things, so she has that same sense of reassurance she gives to me. Margarita’s role in the bakery is very unique – so much so that the filing cabinet that organizes the cake orders has an additional drawer with her name officially labeled. This is interesting because there are only a few drawers that organize the orders and one of them is her very own. Her name carries this level of importance because Margarita is in charge of the alternative orders

taught her how to season and prepare meat, fish, and vegetables in the Greek and Mediterranean style. Some of her favorite foods to prepare at home, and especially on holidays like the first day of spring, are baklava and byrek (a kind of pie with homemade phyllo dough and spinach or cheese filling). Now 68 years old, Margarita has worked at the Dulles Wegmans for 12 years. She started in the bakery and has stayed in the department. She loves working with desserts and one of her favorites from Wegmans is the fruit tart. I’ve known Margarita for the four years I’ve been employed at the bakery. She told me that her motto is “to always be nice and kind to people and love your family.” This motto is reflective of her nature and the love she has for her own family. With 6 grandchildren, 3 girls and 3 boys, she takes great pride in being a grandmother and always being surrounded by family. 44

such as cookie sheet cakes, premium icing orders, as well as cannoli or tres leches. Since the cake decorators receive a lot of orders, it has always been Margarita’s job to prepare the special types of orders that are placed. When I first came to work in the bakery, I was confused with why she would have her own cabinet space, but nowadays I understand that is because she is very important and incredibly valued in the bakery. With her 12 years of experience, she has made a lasting impression on the other employees in the bakery as well as the entire community throughout the store. Typically, Margarita likes to work at the wooden tables in the front of the bakery front line where customer interaction and bakery meet. She has always chosen this spot to work, and it is intriguing because most bakers avoid it and work closer to the back so that there is less interruption with production. With this in mind, Margarita completes her tasks in addition to enjoying conversations with the customers and building connections. She is part of the Wegmans message: “we care about the well-being of customers and strive

to be the best at serving the needs of our customers.” Margarita models Wegmans’ philosophy of good customer service every day and her personal work ethic has always inspired me. In the future, I will continue to live by the things she has taught me and remember all of our great times working together in the bakery.

GISELA SOLORZANO 12 YEARS OF SERVICE

Gisela Elizabeth Angeles Solórzano comes from the state of Morelos, in south central Mexico. Densely populated and urbanized, more than half of its population lives in the capital city of Cuernavaca. Manufacturing and services account for the bulk of employment. Extensive rail and road networks and an express highway link Cuernavaca to Mexico City and to the port of Acapulco in the state of Guerrero. Despite how modernized it is, Nahua Indians still practice subsistence agriculture, based on corn (maize), wheat, fruits, and vegetables; sugarcane and rice are also grown. Morelos has a rich history from both pre-conquest and Spanish colonial times. From the ancient ruins at Xochicalco, which reveal influences from Aztec, Zapotec, and Olmec cultures and were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999, to the numerous Spanish missions from the 1500s, the

state has a long and important history within Mexico. Named for José María Morelos y Pavón, one of the heroes of Mexico’s wars for independence, Morelos was also the birthplace of Emiliano Zapata, an insurgent leader in the Mexican Revolution. Growing up, Gisela helped with her family’s business selling food to people working in the area. She learned to cook with and from her mom. When she got older, her first job was at Sekurit Saint Gobain, a company that manufactured car windows. She later worked at Guantes Quirurgicos, a company that produces latex gloves. Her role was industrial chemist technician in the quality control laboratory. She came to the United States at age 20 and although she already knew some English, she was able to learn a lot more being immersed in an Englishspeaking country. Years later, and now a mother herself, 49

Gisela was looking for a part-time job that would allow her to also take care of her kids. Her mother was working at Wegmans in the prepared foods department and recommended that Gisela get a job there as well. The part-time schedule was flexible and allowed her to spend time with her children. She started in the meal center, then moved to the front end, then produce, and finally to the bakery. Now at age 44, she has worked at Wegmans for 12 years. Although Gisela learned many of her cooking skills from her mother and continues to make those recipes at home, she has branched out and taught herself to make sushi and to cook Chinese food. She still makes many traditional Mexican dishes including red and green tamales, pozole carnitas, mole, and more. During holidays, she doesn’t have time to prepare many desserts at home because that is the busiest time at the bakery and she’s working a lot. But if time permits, she makes gelatins and coconut flan. Her favorite dessert from Wegmans is their fruit tart which she describes as

“yummy pastry cream.” Her favorite part of working in the bakery was learning to decorate the cakes. Some wise words that Gisela learned from her dad is “Love your neighbor as you love yourself”. Both of her parents took great care of their own parents, and she will continue to follow the same path. Prior to this project, I had to think of what I wanted to dedicate my final academic work to, and my first inspiration was the conversations I shared with Gisela. Over the years we have shared many personal stories with one another, but my favorite aspect was all of the cultural elements Gisela would discuss over our shifts. When I started to cross-train into the seasonal desserts and cakes, this is when we began working next to each other. We talked about random things that would go on in our lives, stories from the past, and of course, food. One fond memory I like to think about 50

is the chili she makes during the holidays, and how on a couple of occasions, she brought some in for me. The fact that she thought of me and took the time to prepare something of her own is very special to me. I would often ask her about some of the holidays and celebrations she had in Mexico, and “Día de Muertos,” or Day of the Dead, was one she often shared. When a loved one passes away, there are a lot of preparations in place such as preparing food, decorating their homes, and praying in order to properly mourn and celebrate the person. By continuing this tradition every year, this ensures that their loved one’s memory stays alive. Día de Muertos is a huge part of the culture in Mexico. Families also bury the loved ones in beautiful, decorative, and colorful tombs. I did not know the extensive detail of this tradition and it inspires me to continue to celebrate my own loved ones but in different ways than I may have in the past. One commonality that we share, is that she is a breast cancer survivor and my mother had also had breast cancer. Since I lost my mother over 10 years ago to cancer, it has sparked a lot of conversation and connected us to one another. Our relationship is more

complex, and I feel completely comfortable sharing my thoughts and feelings with her as she does with me. As soon as I step into the bakery and see her face, it is illuminated with joy and reassurance. We hug and talk about how happy we are to be able to work with one another for the day. While we talk, another one of her favorite things to share is the love she has for her two daughters. In the past for their birthdays, she has created beautiful, tiered cakes with fillings, decorative flowers, and lots of love. Though there may be times where they fight and are not on great terms, Gisela continues to support and love her daughters unconditionally. Her family and culture are the most important aspects of her life. One day she plans to move back to Mexico and live near her parents and relatives. She will be able to reconnect to her roots and live the way she once did growing up. I will always wish her the best and continue to connect with her outside of Wegmans as we both will move in different paths as life moves forward. 51

NITAYA SILAPASAT 19 YEARS OF SERVICE

Nitaya Silapasat was born in Bangkok, the largest city in Thailand. The city is a regional force in finance and business. It is also an international hub for transport and health care, and a center for the arts, fashion, and entertainment. Bangkok is among the world’s top tourist destinations and is one of the most visited cities on the planet. The city is known for its street life and cultural landmarks, museums, royal palaces, ancient Buddhist temples which stand in sharp contrast with other modern attractions such as the nightclubs, upscale restaurants, and shopping. Nitaya grew up in Bangkok and went to college and cosmetology school there. While still in Thailand, she owned and ran multiple businesses including a mining operation and a beauty salon. She studied English before coming to the United States and continued her

education once she arrived here in May 1988 at the age of 25. She worked at Dulles International Airport for 15 years. But after September 11th, 2001, she no longer felt safe working in an airport. She saw an ad in the newspaper about Wegmans opening a new store in Dulles, so she applied and was quickly hired. She remembers, “I started as a patisserie helper, but when the cookie department became its own thing, I trained and began working full time as a cookie decorator. In the beginning, Wegmans provided me additional training in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, and in New York in the early 2000s. I learned about all the types of breads and Italian desserts we sell.” She has worked in the bakery for almost 19 years. After so many years in the bakery, her all-time favorite dessert from Wegmans is still the fruit tart.

up my mom taught me to cook a little bit, but I learned a lot about cooking through YouTube videos and cookbooks on my own.” At 59 ½ years old, she said she mostly celebrates the American holidays because “my family is here. The only family I have left in Thailand is my dad. I love celebrating Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, everything in the United States! I have owned a house on the beach in Thailand for over 14 years and I have only spent maybe 2 weeks at a time there because I am always working. Maybe soon I will be able to enjoy it because I am retiring. Thailand’s New Year is in early April so I will most likely not be there, but I can always celebrate here in the United States with my family and friends and eventually in the future in Thailand.” Nitaya’s advice to me is “when bad things happen in life, you have to remember that it is going to be okay. Stuff always happens in life, and you need to take care of yourself and your family as much as you can. When my mom was sick it was hard to take care of her and balance my work schedule and when she passed, I felt regret. Now that my dad is very sick, I know that I

“I always order it for parties or when I have guests over. The fresh fruit and cream are a constant winner and everyone including myself really enjoys it.” After working for 19 years in the bakery, Nitaya says “my favorite thing about the bakery is my coworkers. I enjoy having friends and taking our lunches together. A lot of the people I have worked with for over 10 years, and I have made lifelong friendships.” In 2011, she married an American man, Jim Looney, and together they own a business called Sully Framing & Art, located in Sterling, Virginia. She doesn’t cook often at home, but she sometimes makes traditional Thai food. Nitaya says, “my husband and I don’t go for fast food. We like salads and fish and other fresh ingredients. This can include papaya salad, tom yum noodle soup, guay tiew ruea (boat noodles), sweet and sour soup with prawns, and spring rolls. On holidays, I might make mango and sticky rice with coconut cream. Longevity noodles are often served during the new year or for birthdays because they represent the wish for a long life. They are also a sign of good fortune and happiness.” She added that “growing 56

more in other jobs. She has always made professional decisions and worked her hardest and I am happy that she is now able to spend her time however she wants. I will miss all the times we worked together cleaning the mixers, dishes, and microwave so my closing shift would be easier, watching over the bakery when I took my lunch, taking out the trash or cardboard when it overflows so that it will be less stressful for me at the end of the night, or even preparing the ingredients so that the next day I am able to start my shift with everything I need. Nitaya is always thinking of the next step to ensure that I am taken care of, and she values working as a team. She understands all of the labor and hard work it takes to work in the bakery, as it is very important that we all work together as we all have a common goal. I always think of Nitaya, and it makes me happy to see her share pictures of her family spending time together on Facebook. Her goal in life now is to spend as much time as she can with her family, and I am glad she is finally able to dedicate her time this way. I wish her the best retirement and I will always cherish our long nights working at Wegmans— as a baker duo.

need to spend time with him before it is too late. My daughter is also moving from Seattle to Maryland so it will be so much easier for me to spend time with her and her family.” Out of all the employees in the bakery, Nitaya is the one that I have known the longest. On my first day back in November of 2018, the bakery was prepping for Thanksgiving and Nitaya trained me through the evening. We ended up staying very late preparing the cookies. There was so much to do, as it seemed like the production was never-ending. Even though this was a lot of work, especially being a new employee, Nitaya helped me with everything, regardless of the task. While I got to know her, I learned that one of her favorite things to do is travel. She is always looking forward to seeing new places and trying different things. She believes that it is important to see the world because there is so much out there, and you can always come back home. Life happens when you least expect it and nothing is guaranteed; you need to see the world and explore when you can before it is too late. Nitaya has worked over 18 years at Wegmans, and many 57

EMILY MONSEUR FOUR YEARS OF SERVICE

My name is Emily Suzanne Monseur, and I was born in Fairfax, Virginia. I grew up as the only girl in my family with 3 brothers. My dad’s family background is Lebanese, and we have a large, close-knit, extended family who lived nearby when I was growing up, so we saw each other more often than my mom’s family who lived in West Virginia. On holidays and birthdays, we would usually gather at my grandparent’s house for dinner. Typically, we would have 25 or more people at a very large table or multiple tables. My grandfather was always very happy, and I remember him smiling while everyone talked, laughed, ate, and drank while lots of kids were running around playing. There was always a lot of food, and it was loud, chaotic, and crazy but filled with life and love. Although eating was what brought us together, the joy and

togetherness is what I remember more than the food. I live near Wegmans and my mom and I used to shop there a lot. I always loved Wegmans as a grocery because it was unique and had an interesting market layout in the store. My mom was a good cook and a great baker. Every Christmas, she would bake hundreds of cookies and pack them into festive containers and give them to all of my aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Although I was still pretty young, I would watch my mom bake and decorate the cookies. I could see how much care and love she put into them. I helped her pack the containers and write the cards that went with them. My mom passed away when I was eleven. My dad did not really know how to cook and was busy working so that aspect of my life changed a lot.

working part-time, I don’t cook a lot but, when I am feeling inspired and up to it, I like to make breakfast foods like banana pancakes, eggs, and turkey bacon. I also like making grilled cheese with tomato soup, quesadillas, stir fry and other various dishes. I enjoy baking more than cooking, and the desserts I love to make are cookies, cakes, mousse, and whatever I find interesting online. Since I am always busy working in the bakery during the holidays, I don’t get to bake a lot, but some desserts I love include traditional Christmas cookies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip, brownies, blueberry pie, apple crumb pie, and baklava during Christmas. I’ve also learned to make Lebanese foods that I had growing up. Since I spend most of the holidays around my dad’s side of the family who are Lebanese, we make an assortment of foods such as: kibbeh, tabbouleh, spinach and meat pies, rice with pomegranate seeds, saj bread and other things. I also like to follow recipes and cooking videos online. Cooking and baking come pretty naturally, so this has always been an exciting thing for me to practice. More recently, my boyfriend and I have been learning

When I was old enough to work, I got a parttime job at Rebounderz, a recreational in-door trampoline business where I cleaned shoes and worked at redemption where I would give out prizes to customers. After that, I worked at American Eagle for three years in customer service. I processed online orders, did bra fittings and participated in overnight store design. This job was definitely exhausting and after the years had gone by, I knew I needed a change. Four years ago, I applied for a job in the bakery at Wegmans. As soon as I interviewed, I had this gut feeling that it was a great fit and after only a couple hours I heard back and accepted the position to work in the bakery department. I started on the cookies side of the bakery and moved all over learning the breakfast, breads and eventually the cakes and patisserie side of the bakery, where I currently reside. During my four years, I’ve learned many new skills such as: icing and decorating cakes, baking cookies, making fruit tarts, slicing bread, taking orders, working with customers, and the importance of sanitation and food safety. Because I am a full-time college student and 62

to cook together and it’s been a new and interesting experience. Some days we make steak, stir fry, fried eggs, hash browns, and when we are craving sweets, we like to have the ready-to-bake sugar cookies with little designs printed in them. At Wegmans, it is hard to decide what my alltime favorite dessert is, but the list includes strawberry

shortcake, fruit tart, triple chocolate mousse cake, crème brule, cannoli, and the lemon raspberry mousse cake when it’s in season. My favorite thing about the bakery is having the opportunity to learn so many things about food and culture. I also love the wonderful community of people I work with and have built strong bonds with over the years. The majority of my co-workers are women and mothers. They often treat me like their daughters and are always looking out for me. That’s something I didn’t expect to find at Wegmans. It’s a very rare and special gift. They are like another family. When I think about words of advice from my own family, I like to look back at my grandparents for guidance. They have inspired me in many ways, and they have always instilled in me that family is incredibly important. It is natural to have disagreements and we often fight, but no matter what, it is important to stick together and work through your problems.

FINAL WORDS While I conducted these interviews, there were a lot of different stories as well as many similarities across all the women. For starters, most chose the fruit tart as their favorite dessert in the bakery. They also agreed that one of their favorite aspects of working in the bakery is being able to communicate and form friendships with one another as they work. This was important to reflect on as I thought about each individual I interviewed. Though we all are from different backgrounds, a couple things are certain; every culture enjoys desserts regardless of if dessert is native to their cuisine, and that kindness is incredibly important. Even with the wide array of languages spoken in the bakery, I have learned that kindness is the language we all understand and need. I did not expect to learn this when I originally applied to work at Wegmans. When I think back to my first shift four years ago, I immediately recall the feeling of sweat forming in my gloves as I put together Italian cookie trays. I had just completed my online orientation videos and the bakery manager had me prep the cookies for backup since the holidays were approaching. As I started my task, I immediately took note of how noisy it was throughout the bakery. The mixers were on full speed, the dishwasher cycled on repeat, metal racks clanked together, and there were conversations

happening throughout the bakery. The ovens started to beep simultaneously. The chocolate chip cookies and rosemary-olive oil bread were both ready. When they were both taken out, the warm aromas of sweet bubbling cookies and fresh rosemary infused beautifully together. Though it may seem like a stressful environment, I was familiar with working in a busy atmosphere. The part that stood out was that I was able to learn how to create beautiful desserts through tactile experience. It felt good knowing that others will be able to appreciate the effort I put into the desserts as much as I did making them. I found this purpose that I originally discovered in my mom. Something that I did not realize as a kid was that while my mother was baking cookies for the holidays, she was also working at her computer, creating with the same programs that I use today. Working at Wegmans and also attending college has been, in a way, a parallel educational experience. One in an academic setting, the other in the school of life. While I learned about the principles of design and elements of art, I was also learning about how to communicate with others and navigate day to day obstacles. When working alongside others, it is important to note that everyone has their own way of getting a task done– as long as they meet the same result, it is valid and even welcomed to approach things 64

in a unique way. It is interesting to observe how one person ices a cake versus another person. There are a lot of different methods and techniques, and everyone does it a little bit differently. Some appear to take delicate swipes and others frost and swirl the icing with quick motions as they sing to themselves. I have developed my own methods of creating and have learned a lot from others along the way. Aside from the methods of decorating, I have also learned so much more about my coworkers. Since before working in the bakery, I have always been curious about culture and expanding my perspective. Many conversations I have had include special occasions in someone’s culture/religion, traditional food that is cooked at home, places traveled, future aspirations, and their deep love for their family. We often find common ground and are able to connect deeper than before. This is especially apparent when we talk about the more negative parts of life. Everyone experiences tragedy at some point in their lives and it is important to talk and empathize with other people. In my personal experience, I had a great deal of

pain early on in my life. I remember finding out my mother had breast cancer and I did not realize how much it would impact my life. Our time together was fleeting as her cancer began to get worse, and before I was able to process anything, she passed away. Though I have had a lot of time and therapy to understand and deal with my own emotions, this loss has forever changed me. While opening up to the women in the bakery, I have found out that several of them have also experienced breast cancer in themselves and their loved ones. We created special bonds and are able to understand each other in ways that we did not before, and I am forever grateful. As most of my coworkers are mothers, they often treat me like their own daughter and are always looking out for me. When I graduate and continue to pursue my passions in design, I know that we will keep in touch with one another, and I will always remember the kind moments we shared while working in the bakery.

References “Company Overview.” Wegmans, February 14, 2022. https://www.wegmans.com/about-us/company-overview/. Monseur, Emily. Gisela Elizabeth Angeles Solórzano. Personal, February 2022. Monseur, Emily. Hodalo Bini. Personal, March 2022. Monseur, Emily. Margarita Nedru. Personal, March 2022. Monseur, Emily. Melanie Archacki Salguero . Personal, March 2022. Monseur, Emily. Mercedes Fiallega. Personal, April 2022. Monseur, Emily. Nitaya Silapasat. Personal, March 2022. Monseur, Emily. Thanh Le. Personal, March 2022.

Thank You!