I often talk about, or refer to, Bruja’s Bakery on here, and tag the webpage so that you can all get to it and see what I sell, but I don’t ever specifically talk about what it’s like to have this business that I grew from a toaster oven.  I have been working on/in Bruja’s Bakery for over a year and a half and this little project that began with some really ugly bagels has definitely grown into a beautiful, complicated, and busy business.  It’s been fun, and exhausting, and a completely awesome learning experience, and while most days are good and exciting, there have definitely been days where I am mixing flour, or pulling things out of the oven with tears streaming down my cheeks because sometimes having your own business and trying to grow is difficult and frustrating and I question why I do it.  Sometimes it’s 3 in the morning and I have to re-do something that I don’t think is good enough to sell and I just feel so frustrated and ready to throw in the towel, and other days I receive message after message of thanks and words of praise about my products.  Anyway, that is all a long-winded way of saying that I am starting a new blog series called Living In Bruja’s Bakery, where I will write about the good and the bad and the funny and the successes and the failures and the growth of the business.  Not only for you, but for me as well, because I can feel in my bones that this could turn into something, and I want to remember all of the craziness in it all.

Backing up a bit, I said that I started this business over a year and a half ago, and in that time, it has steadily grown to where it is today- which is to the point of “I can’t really handle anymore in my own kitchen because the motors on my equipment are starting to go” point.  At this point, I spend 2-8 hours a day in the kitchen, mixing dough, shaping bagels, boiling, adding seeds, baking, washing dishes (so many dishes!  They never end!).  That is to say that a very large chunk of my day is spent in the kitchen, and I am usually in and out from 8 am to 3:45 pm, when I need to start to make moves towards class.  Until now, most of these bagels I’m baking and cakes I’m making have been for individual clients- people that place orders on my site, whatsapp me, or message me on Instagram.  6 bagels here, 12 bagels there.  It’s been great, especially since everyone has finally gotten over their Diet of 2019 (it happened around the 24th of January, so you all had a good run…. maybe 2020 will be your year!).  I love baking for clients, but sometimes it can feel like I am grasping for tiny handfuls of money.  Those 6 bagels take me over an hour to make, and have to be made over 2 days time, yet I earn a measily 9€ with that.  This year, especially since beginning my class (learning how to open a restaurant), I have started to realize that I want the business to move towards wholesale- having one or two clients that I can depend on each week for orders- as in, restaurants.  Bagels are sold in Madrid, but they are mostly mierda, so I knew there was a market, it was justing getting in.

Selling Bagels at Bite Me – Halo Artisans

WELL, after various phonecalls, e-mails, and letting people try free bagels, I FINALLY HAVE A CLIENT!

This weekend, Bruja’s Bakery bagels were sold at Bite Me – Halo Artisans,  a vegan donut shop in Madrid!  As a side note, their donuts are absolutely delicious.  I am not really a donut person and often find them too greasy and heavy, but these donuts are light and chewy and probably the best donuts I have ever had- and their various flavors are so creative.  The bagels sold as bagel sandwiches on both Saturday and Sunday and the whole experience was awesome.  I feel so grateful to be given this opportunity and to be working with amazing people.  The owners of Bite Me actually started like I did- by working at home and selling to small clients, so we can call them a real inspiration.  

The Experience

I helped out on Saturday, and it was exhilarating to see people eating MY bagels in an actual café.  There were people there who came to meet me, and ask about the bagels, and people that came when they heard they could get a good bagel sandwich.

The reviews and feedback were great and I couldn’t stop smiling the entire morning.  So, despite sometimes having some tears and anxiety about what the heck I am doing, days like Saturday (and Sunday!  but I wasn’t there) make it worth it and make me so excited for what can happen in the future.

Today, Monday, I have a meeting in 2.5 hours with another restaurant (actually, a group- they have FOUR restaurants) that may be interested in selling my bagels.  I can’t mention any names, but who knows what will happen!  Patting myself on the back.

When I used to shadow doctors (lol, when that used to be on the table), I would write recap posts (which you can still find under the category ‘Shadowing’) and in these posts, I would write things I learned, things I found interesting, and things I didn’t want to forget.  I will do the same in these posts.

Things I Learned by Working in Bite Me:

• If you think you can have a small café or restaurant with just one or two people working during a busy morning/ afternoon, you can’t.  It might not LOOK like a ton of work, but remember, you will be making bagels (dough, shaping, boiling, adding toppings, baking, while simultaneously trying to take care of orders).  It is impossible.  Hire help.
• Systems are key.  Have things prepped at night, from the seeds that you will dip the bagels into, to the ingredients that will go into the sandwiches.
• Everyone should have a job.  It should not be ‘what do I do now?’.  I shape and bake bagels, you add toppings, the other person makes sandwiches and clears tables, the other person takes orders and makes drinks.  Everyone should have specific tasks.
• Have to-go boxes available.
• There should be schedules.  What time do you make dough?  What time do you cut ingredients?  What time do bagels go into and come out of the oven?  How many do we make per day?  What time do you work on back office?  What time do you update Excel spreadsheets?  What time do you clean and restock the bathroom?
• If you work with your partner, make sure both people know how to do every job and how to do it well, but that both people have defined roles in the business so that there are not disagreements.  The owners at Bite Me do this so well!