Should I stop me study in patisseries at a vocational school?

[LiJ]

I’m 21 yr old and currently in the 1st year of studying Confectionary Art and Management (2 years) course. Unfortunately, just few months before enrolling into this school, I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance and sometimes even experienced some severe symptoms whenever I tested the patisseries and breads during theory class. Even my plan for the future is to work in a bakery because I can gain experiences in a way that would help me to open a bakery in the future. So, do you think I should stop continuing my study (and enroll into Uni) or do you think I should continue because it is necessary to have a basic knowledge of baking in order to open a bakery shop?  :))

[LiJ]

Sorry, there is a typo in my topic…Is “Should I stop *my* study in patisseries at a vocational school”

[cristiana]

Hi LiJ

Welcome to the forum!

I am not sure where you live but here in the UK, gluten-free baked products are very much in demand.  According to the Guardian newspaper, 1 in 10 customers are now avoiding gluten - that's a lot of people buying gluten-free, whether they are gluten intolerant, have coeliac disease or are avoiding it for some other reason.

I was diagnosed with coeliac disease in 2013 and since then I've noticed gluten-free aisles in the larger supermarkets grow and grow.  Even small corner shop style convenience stores have a shelf or two where one can normally pick up a cake or some cookies, made in a dedicated gluten free facility. 

From others who post on this forum, I understand that larger cities have thriving dedicated gluten free patisseries, bakeries and coffee shops where fresh bakes are offered.  I wish I lived near one of those, alas I don't! 

I enjoyed afternoon tea at a Michelin star restaurant four years ago that had a dedicated gluten-free food preparation area in its kitchens.   I don't normally risk eating out but I did with this one, and it was fabulous.  (I was told by the waitress that Michelin star restaurants have to have an allergens kitchen but I have never found out if this is true or not).  

Quite apart from all of these places, gluten-free chocolatiers and bakeries are appearing online.

It seems to me that the demand for gluten free is a big growth area in my country.  It seems to me that there is scope at least where I live to follow a career in this area.  

How to qualify to do so is another question. Do you find that gluten flour on surfaces and airborne in your working environment triggers symptoms, or just if you actually eat it?  If airborne flour is an issue, you may wish to contact the school to find out if you can work in a dedicated area.  Would the school allow you, insofar as is reasonable, to bake with gluten free flour?  You may find they will be happy to help.  I think I would contact the course leader and see what they have to say.

I have googled this article which may help you, too.

https://www.thecaterer.com/news/restaurant/chefs-with-food-allergies-how-do-they-cope-in-the-kitchen

Do come back to us if you have any further questions.

Cristiana

 

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by cristiana

[LiJ]

OMG! Thank you so much for the advices!! For the past few months, I’ve been struggling because of my symptoms (from eating the gluten contained food), and wonder I should quit or not. Yet, you gave me another insight that I can still continue my study even though I have gluten intolerance. Once again, Thank you ❤️ !! 
 

P.S. I’m Malaysian but currently studying Confectionery Arts in Japan. 

[cristiana]

Hello LiJ

I'm so glad that I have been of some help.  I'm hoping some of my fellow board members will also chime in with some of their own insights and experiences, but certainly, from a British point of view, there seems to be a scope for a career as a gluten-free pastry chef.  This is a growing sector.

Out of interest, in Malaysia and Japan, are there many outlets selling gluten-free food?  Is there much demand for the sort of product that you are talking about?  Do you know many people with coeliac disease/gluten intolerance? Sorry for all the questions - no need to reply if you don't have the time, but I don't know anything about the gluten-free scene outside Europe, the Americas and Australia!👩‍🍳😄 

Cristiana

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by cristiana

[trents]

LiJ, you say you have been diagnosed with gluten intolerance. Do you mean celiac disease or non celiac gluten intolerance (NCGS)? What symptoms do you experience when consuming gluten? Even when wheat flour is in the air it can get into our guts through breathing as it gets trapped by the mucous in our air way and mouths. Some of that mucous eventually drains back into the stomach and then the bowel.

[AlwaysLearning]

As someone who won't go into traditional bakeries or pizzerias because of the high volume of wheat flour dust in the air, I think I would make an exception for finishing your courses. There are definitely gluten free bakeries that will need employees, but I don't think you'll be able to find a school that is gluten free. I would deal with whatever is needed in order to finish your courses and to follow your dream.

That said, I would ask each of your teachers if you could substitute gluten-free flours in your recipes so that you can taste them without making yourself sick. Granted, it would change everything about your food and you would have to learn on your own how to solve the problems as they arose, but if your plan was to go into gluten-free baking, then why not get started now?

[Sahamies]

I don’t think it is good to study baking when you are gluten intolerant.  Gluten-free flour will irritate your gut too in time.  Sorghum, quinoa and buckwheat tend to cause digestive issues too even if they are fake grains.

[trents]

15 minutes ago, Sahamies said:

I don’t think it is good to study baking when you are gluten intolerant.  Gluten-free flour will irritate your gut too in time.  Sorghum, quinoa and buckwheat tend to cause digestive issues too even if they are fake grains.

Most who are gluten intolerant have no issues with these "fake grains." They are widely considered safe alternatives to wheat, barley and rye. Of course, there will always be some people who don't tolerate one or more of them.

[Sahamies]

22 minutes ago, trents said:

Most who are gluten intolerant have no issues with these "fake grains." They are widely considered safe alternatives to wheat, barley and rye. Of course, there will always be some people who don't tolerate one or more of them.

A lot of them will have issues with them sooner or later.  I bet you aren’t even gluten intolerant so you have no experience with this.

[trents]

16 minutes ago, Sahamies said:

A lot of them will have issues with them sooner or later.  I bet you aren’t even gluten intolerant so you have no experience with this.

I was officially diagnosed with celiac disease 20 years ago using both the antibody test and the endoscopy/biopsy. Besides gluten, I have developed a partial intolerance to eggs so I don't eat many of them. So, I am not self-diagnosed. I rotate between oatmeal, buckwheat and Might Tasty Hot cereal (mostly corn meal and sorghum). By the way, sorghum and qinoa are indeed considered grains. Buckwheat is not a grain but the seed of a plant related to rhubarb.

[LiJ]

13 hours ago, cristiana said:

Hello LiJ

I'm so glad that I have been of some help.  I'm hoping some of my fellow board members will also chime in with some of their own insights and experiences, but certainly, from a British point of view, there seems to be a scope for a career as a gluten-free pastry chef.  This is a growing sector.

Out of interest, in Malaysia and Japan, are there many outlets selling gluten-free food?  Is there much demand for the sort of product that you are talking about?  Do you know many people with coeliac disease/gluten intolerance? Sorry for all the questions - no need to reply if you don't have the time, but I don't know anything about the gluten-free scene outside Europe, the Americas and Australia!👩‍🍳😄 

Cristiana

 

Hello Christina,

From what I’ve known there aren’t many gluten free foods out there in Malaysia nor in Japan, but there is definitely a growth in demand for those foods (gluten free and vegan foods too!) as more people in Asia took the allergy test. 

[LiJ]

15 hours ago, trents said:

LiJ, you say you have been diagnosed with gluten intolerance. Do you mean celiac disease or non celiac gluten intolerance (NCGS)? What symptoms do you experience when consuming gluten? Even when wheat flour is in the air it can get into our guts through breathing as it gets trapped by the mucous in our air way and mouths. Some of that mucous eventually drains back into the stomach and then the bowel.

Hi trents,

I was diagnosed with non celiac gluten intolerance but have experienced a similar reactions as a person with celiac disease. Such as brain fog, bloating, joint pain, and iron-deficiency anemia. So, it’s kinda annoying because I can’t have gluten contained foods like I used to be (plus I’m studying confectionery arts). 
Thank you for your info about gluten too!!

[LiJ]

5 hours ago, Sahamies said:

I don’t think it is good to study baking when you are gluten intolerant.  Gluten-free flour will irritate your gut too in time.  Sorghum, quinoa and buckwheat tend to cause digestive issues too even if they are fake grains.

I can agree on that! Because I was also found out that I can’t have any buckwheat, rye, barley, eggs, and even diary when I took the IgE test.

I plan to open a bakery but after diagnosed with gluten intolerance, it might be good to open a gluten free and vegan bakery too. The problem is, I think it is an advantage for me to have a proper knowledge of baking before getting into gluten free baking. So that’s how I stayed in this school for almost a year. 

However, I think that symptoms will eventually become severe if I plan to work in bakery for years. So, I’m kinda confused right now whether I should stop before entering the 2nd year of the study and go to Uni. 
 

[trents]

Yes, it's a tough decision. No one can tell you what to do. But let me share with you something I have learned in my 70 years on earth. We start out with dreams and goals that aren't always possible to fulfill in their original form. Typically, they represent things we enjoy and do well with. But often, life intervenes and we have to modify the original dream/goal to match reality. But that doesn't mean we forsake the dream/goal altogether. It just gets morphed. So, we look back at a later date and realize that things didn't work out exactly like we originally planned but we recognize elements of it in where we are. And we realized it worked out just as it needed to. And it's okay.

[LiJ]

10 minutes ago, trents said:

Yes, it's a tough decision. No one can tell you what to do. But let me share with you something I have learned in my 70 years on earth. We start out with dreams and goals that aren't always possible to fulfill in their original form. Typically, they represent things we enjoy and do well with. But often, life intervenes and we have to modify the original dream/goal to match reality. But that doesn't mean we forsake the dream/goal altogether. It just gets morphed. So, we look back at a later date and realize that things didn't work out exactly like we originally planned but we recognize elements of it in where we are. And we realized it worked out just as it needed to. And it's okay.

That’s nice for you to say!! And yes it’s the time for me to decide what is the best for me. 
Hope you have a wonderful day! :))

[Sahamies]

10 hours ago, LiJ said:

I can agree on that! Because I was also found out that I can’t have any buckwheat, rye, barley, eggs, and even diary when I took the IgE test.

I plan to open a bakery but after diagnosed with gluten intolerance, it might be good to open a gluten free and vegan bakery too. The problem is, I think it is an advantage for me to have a proper knowledge of baking before getting into gluten free baking. So that’s how I stayed in this school for almost a year. 

However, I think that symptoms will eventually become severe if I plan to work in bakery for years. So, I’m kinda confused right now whether I should stop before entering the 2nd year of the study and go to Uni. 
 

 

[Sahamies]

Just now, Sahamies said:

 

Yes your symptoms will get worse.  Gluten intolerance always gets worse, not better.  A lot of people don’t like the gluten free baking. That you can’t eat buckwheat, which isn’t even a grain, is a sign your gluten intolerance is bad.  If you bake a lot, you probably put on weight too.  Sorry to crush your dreams.

[yuluyouyue]

If you really like baking so much and if there is a way for you to change recipes by using gluten free ingredients during your classes, you could try finishing it (your classmates might also benefit from learning how different ingredients behave and change the end product). And if later you can open a gluten free bakery, many people like me will be grateful to you. But if you don't finish, you can still open your bakery one day - you just need to pracitce at home -:). Most gluten free bakeries where I live are opened by celiacs or mothers of celiacs who don't have formal training but their cakes really are wonderful, and even people who don't have a problem with gluten buy them because they are so tasty. 

So your dream does not have to change one way or the other, whether you quit now or not. I guess it also depends on your finances now, how easy it is to change majors and of course on whether you can ensure a safe baking space for you during your classes. Is there something else you are willing to consider? Perhaps business management to help you run your bakery later 😊. In any case,  I wish you all the best on your journey! 

[yuluyouyue]

4 hours ago, Sahamies said:

Yes your symptoms will get worse.  Gluten intolerance always gets worse, not better.  A lot of people don’t like the gluten free baking. That you can’t eat buckwheat, which isn’t even a grain, is a sign your gluten intolerance is bad.  If you bake a lot, you probably put on weight too.  Sorry to crush your dreams.

I don't know why symptoms would get worse on a gluten free diet provided baking of gluten free food is done in a clean environment and that later LiJ  starts a gluten free bakery .

LiJ, do you actually feel unwell after eating buckwheat eggs and dairy or is that just a result of an alergy test?  Those are not always accurate. It is also possible, if you do indeed feel unwell eating those that this might improve after you have been on a gluten free diet for a while. You can also consider switching to making other, savory foods instead of cakes in your future studies and career. 

 

19 hours ago, Sahamies said:

A lot of them will have issues with them sooner or later.  I bet you aren’t even gluten intolerant so you have no experience with this.

I am celiac and have zero issues with those. 

[Jackie Garrett]

On 1/3/2022 at 6:38 AM, LiJ said:

I can agree on that! Because I was also found out that I can’t have any buckwheat, rye, barley, eggs, and even diary when I took the IgE test.

I plan to open a bakery but after diagnosed with gluten intolerance, it might be good to open a gluten free and vegan bakery too. The problem is, I think it is an advantage for me to have a proper knowledge of baking before getting into gluten free baking. So that’s how I stayed in this school for almost a year. 

However, I think that symptoms will eventually become severe if I plan to work in bakery for years. So, I’m kinda confused right now whether I should stop before entering the 2nd year of the study and go to Uni. 
 

Hi LiJ

With how things are going with more and more of us getting intolerances I think a gluten/Dairy free bakery is a fantastic idea, as I can’t have anything at my local bakery at the moment that doesn’t contain milk !!!!

I wish you well, take care

Jackie

 

 

[Scott Adams]

I would like to add that I don't think that a traditional "Confectionary Art" education based on learning how to make bakery products using wheat flour will help you very much when it comes to gluten-free versions. Of course there are some things you can learn that may transfer over and be helpful, but in reality you need to be focused heavily on gluten-free versions. I'm not one to discourage anyone from getting an education/degree/certificate that shows you have a certain level of knowledge, but to me the most valuable part of your current program, at least to you, would be the "Management" side of things. Knowing this could be very helpful, so hopefully they do a good job teaching this aspect.

[katbalou]

hi, 

as a former chef(AS degree, classically trained, 25 years in restaurants), i can say that i can no longer work in regular kitchens.  too much flour in the air for me. perhaps you can focus on business classes for a bit, they'd help you get to your goal of opening a bakery. You need to know all of that good stuff, too! where the money is coming in from, where it's going to, how to balance your books. whatever you do, i wish you the best of luck.

[AlwaysLearning]

Just because a person becomes a pastry chef doesn't mean they are going to be sitting around eating baked goods all day. And shame on anyone here for dissing her dream! 

[trents]

1 hour ago, AlwaysLearning said:

Just because a person becomes a pastry chef doesn't mean they are going to be sitting around eating baked goods all day. And shame on anyone here for dissing her dream! 

Has anyone in this thread said or implied that the OP would be "sitting around eating baked goods all day"? And I don't see that anyone has "dissed her dream." People are just trying to offer helpful advice and alternatives, though some may have expressed themselves a little dogmatically.