This is the next in our series of educators featured in our Bake Twentyfive issue. Each weekday, we will spotlight a new instructor or educator in the fields of baking, pastry, and chocolate.

For award-winning baker and dedicated instructor Harry Peemoeller, every day brings a unique opportunity to inspire and educate the future bakers of tomorrow.

He loves to have the opportunity to ignite the passion of baking in so many young talents that sometimes never knew that they actually were born to bake.

“Since I switched from working daily (or nightly) in front of the bench to sitting on the bench, I almost don’t consider what I am doing work,” he quips. “It is mental work! Anyways, I very much appreciate the daily opportunity to inspire and hopefully have a positive impact on the development of the next generation of food professionals.”

Looking ahead to the most influential trends on the horizon, Peemoeller can imagine that “community connecting grains” could be very influential.

“I guess they actually already are, to a certain extent,” he says. “The trifecta of farmer, miller and baker resonates with everybody, but it has to be sustainable. Farmers already using poly cropping systems to increase harvest yields and bread baked with locally sourced grains are a symbol of quality to me. The local grain movement has just started and will continue to grow.”

Originally from Hamburg, Harry Peemoeller received his Master Bread Baker’s certification in 1982 from the Baking Academy in Hanover, Germany. Peemoeller is a professor of Bakery and Bread Studies at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, North Carolina. Prior to joining the faculty of Johnson & Wales, Peemoeller worked at various bakery operations in Europe and the United States. Peemoeller won the 2008 National Bread and Pastry Team Championship in Atlantic City before he was selected as the captain of the Bread Baker’s Guild Team USA. This team went on to win the gold medal at the 2010 Coupe Luis Lesaffre, gold at the 2011 SIGEP Bread Cup in Rimini, Italy, and silver at the 2012 Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie. Peemoeller also won a silver medal at the 2014 Master’s de la Boulangerie in Paris.

Peemoeller and Mike Zakowski represented the United States in the 2014 Bakery Masters. Peemoeller competed in the artistic competition. “It is a great validation of the level and talent in artisan baking here in the United States. The Bread Bakers Guild is very much committed to support its mission of educating and sharing.”