2010.04.29 11:37:45

Julien Potron

On Sunday March 21^st, 2010, students from Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB) went to meet the incredible pastry chef, baker and entrepre neur Brian Tan, founder of the House of Flour. With the purpose of learning how to make one of Tan’s renowned chocolate cakes, the students of SYB also had the opportunity to learn how to effectively use their skills as bakers to build a career.

Entering into Brian Tan’s House of Flour, located at 635 Bibo Lu, in the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, and being greeted by Tan himself, the House of Flour exudes a sense of community and comfort set within a stylish café and bakery. Having set up a teaching station at the front of the café, the students gathered round to learn from someone who is not only talented in his craft, but who is also successful in business and life.

Brian Tan taught the SYB students how to make one of his renowned chocolate cakes. This being a secret recipe, the SYB students were privileged participants. Creating a casual atmosphere open for dialogue between students and teacher, Tan lead the SYB students through the precise steps of baking his delicious chocolate treat. The students were active participants, Wang Li was a great assistant, and many students were firing off questions to Tan, keeping him on his toes. Questions were greeted with encouragement by Tan as he acknowledged the SYB’s student’s abilities to relate their skills as young bakers to the skills required to making decadent chocolate cakes. The science and precision of baking and working with chocolate was not lost on the SYB students; they actively kept up with Tan’s questions and philosophies of baking.

While waiting for the chocolate cakes to bake, Brian Tan spoke openly about his introduction to the pastry and baking world, outlining a journey that counted on hard work, a strong sense of community and morality, and a willingness to work for your goals. Tan’s openness allowed the students to experience a story that took a man on adventures throughout the world and led him to his dream. Having found an interest in bread and baking, Tan started his career in his 20’s. Working as an apprentice, Tan pushed himself to work 12-16 hour days in the kitchen and then continue with extra studies outside of work. The SYB students had looks of respect and recognition on their faces as they listened to Tan’s story; a story they could relate with as they are now beginning their careers at the same age as Tan had begun his journey into the baking world. Being dedicated to working long hours and pushing themselves to study further after leaving the kitchen are experiences that the SYB students share with Tan.

While enjoying the delightful chocolate dessert, and gathered around the elegantly decorated cakes, Tan emphasized some of his keys to success to the SYB students. Tan expressed the importance of always having dreams, and that in order to achieve one’s dreams it is necessary to put oneself in the best position possible through education, experience and hard work. Tan talked about the importance of gaining respect by showing your strengths and your ability to constantly improve. Finally, Tan talked of the motivation that can be found in enjoying new challenges and going after new experiences.

Spending the afternoon with Brian Tan at House of Flour proved to be an excellent opportunity for the SYB students to broaden their horizons into the world of baking. While at the same time the SYB students got to experience the success that can come from hard work, dedication, and the continuous development of their skills as young bakers. Tan was an inspiring teacher for the SYB students and provided an excellent example of what an individual can achieve if he or she has the motivation to go after a dream.

2010.04.29 10:38:35

Julien Potron

When I arrived at the school, I was warmly greeted and shown to a classroom, where Cecile was answering questions from a group of about 20 BEANsters about Shanghai Young Bakers and what the lives of the student bakers are like.

After the introductory talk, Cecile led us to the bakery, where the student bakers were eagerly waiting for our group to arrive.  They all had ear-to-ear grins on their faces and weren't afraid to take us by the hand and lead us over to our stations.  We watched the dough being mixed, and then the bakers cut off sections that they brought back to the countertops to our stations.

The baker that I worked with was encouraging, but strict.  When I would roll the dough into lumpy crescents, he would stop me, show me again how to do it the right way, and encourage me to have another try.  By the time we were finished, my crescents were almost as perfectly shaped as his.  While the dough rose, he taught me how to make perfect white bread rolls, which was the second kind of bread we learned to make in the lesson.

When we were finished rolling and shaping, and the breads had risen, the bakers and the BEANsters practiced their English and Chinese and tried cracking jokes and pantomiming funny stories.  I looked around the room of Chinese and foreigners, the givers and the receivers, and saw that everyone was smiling because they were taking the bread out of the oven.  Everyone was so proud of the bread they had made and bragged about how their bread was better than everyone else's.  This was my favourite moment of the baking event: realizing that these donations would really make a difference and realizing that everyone was having a wonderful time in the process.

2009.09.22 11:37:17

黄荣芳

Last year I heard from one of my good friends that twelve French volunteers who were working in China were running a project called Shanghai Young Bakers which was aimed to help sixteen orphans learn bread-baking technique in order to make them stand on their own feet by their abilities and skills. When I found about that the SYB team was looking for a social educator, I decided to join the project without any hesitation. During the interview, they asked me ‘’how do you think you will do a good job?” and I answered that I had a kind heart and I would not only take care of their studies, but also will be concerned about their living conditions. I would treat them as my own children. Finally, I stood out from three candidates and got the position.

I started with getting to know more about the background of the students. Among the sixteen orphans, six of them come from the Shanghai orphanage, and the remaining ten come from other provinces such as Henan, Anhui, and Shaanxi. I studied the background information of the sixteen students thoroughly, talked with them one by one, and contacted the teachers of Shanghai Welfare Institute to know more about them. I have a daughter, and I needed to take care of another 16 students, which made me nervous for the great responsibility as well as worry for some mistakes I may make. If the mistake is severe, I would definitely feel sorry for the kind-hearted French volunteers. In order to build up a closer relationship with the students, I accompanied them for a whole day at the very beginning. At day time, I learned the theoretical knowledge and the bread-baking technology with them. The students had to go back to Caoyang vocational school in the evening, so I went to school after finishing dinner to make sure they were all back to school facilities where they were now living. At this time, I told them that I was willing to be their good friend, and they could write a weekly journal to “talk” with me. So far, I’ve used up two thick notebooks.

Growing without mother’s love, sometimes would have them make embarrassing mistakes for me so I felt slightly overwhelmed at the beginning. With the strong support from Caoyang vocational school, I worked out relevant regulations to enhance discipline. During my time with them, I realized that these kids do know how to care for others, and they had many virtues to be seen.

The physical condition of students also touches my heart all the time. No matter whoever gets ill, I will take care of them as my own child. Within 4 months, 4 of them got sick. I accompanied them through their whole treatment and make sure they would get better.

People around me were a bit surprised of my involvement and working attitude. Someone even suggested that I should relax a little bit instead of working so hard. But I do not feel like doing so. Compared with those warmhearted French young volunteers who help the Chinese orphans, I have no reason not to play the role of social educator well. During these 6 months, the students and I have built up a fairly good friendship. No matter what problems they encounter, they would tell me, and they would bring me the bread they had cooked by themselves so we could share. I told the students that I was not just the mother of one child but 17 children and they had to study hard and never give up hope!

I would like to thank Mrs. Tang from the Shanghai Charity Foundation, the leaders and teachers of Caoyang Vocational School for their strong support for my work. Whenever I report my plan to them, they always give me great encouragement, which greatly enhance my confidence.

Last but no the least, may our SYB project become better and better, and grow like a rolling snowball. Join us, maker efforts for our SYB! I am determined to do better and better.

Social educator – HUANG Rongfang - 生活老师 - 黄荣芳

2009.09.22 11:32:03

张政海

My name is ZHANG Zhenghai, a student aided by Association Marcel Roux, and I come from a remote village in Baoji city, Shaanxi Province. An accident deprived me mercilessly of paternal love, but a volunteer work connected me with Association Marcel Roux. I should thank Association Marcel Roux and all the kind people from Shanghai Young Bakers for giving me the opportunity to this training. They turned me from an unfortunate child into a really lucky boy. Sixteen young people coming from different places across the country were gathered together, and start the journey of bakery.

Just in several days, we got to know each other and we were still at a loss to some extent in the beginning. Even in such a kind of slight acquaintance, many raised their hands during the election of the class captain and I was elected, with surprise but touched as well. I was surprised because I was neither their fellow-villager nor their old friend. We had only had a few words, had only been in the same classroom and the same dormitory. I was even more surprised by the fact that more than half of my ‘voters’ didn’t know exactly my name at that time --- but they chose me. In this way, I became the captain. I was asked to come to the front of the class to say something, to make a speech to everybody., as was the declaration of my ‘taking office’.
After that, I began to think how to do it well. I started my own plan for the position. I feel that the captain is like a mirror, a mirror which lights up others. I should serve my classmates, give them care, help as well as enlightenment. I will work as a model to the whole class as a guy with responsibility and a good player in the team.

A monitor should get to know and understand every classmate as well. As a captain, I should consider our class, which consists of 16 students and the Shanghai Young Bakers team, as my home. Our teachers are our parents and relatives who give us love and care. I should treat every of my classmates as my own siblings and we unite and help each other in our studies and lives, because we are a love-filled, harmonious and happy family. We are all appreciative young people who have the awareness of being thankful for the society and for all the kind-hearted people who have helped us.

In our class, through our studies, lives as well as simple talks , I should do my best to make everybody realize that we are a team. We are supposed to learn to be cooperative, to be grateful, and to smile often, because everyone surrounding us is our relative, our friend. I feel that what I should do is transmit to everybody what I have done the best. Let ‘unite’ become our slogan, coz we are together. Love from individual will be united, because we are together. As a captain, I should make my teachers and classmates reassured, make them willing to entrust tasks to me, make all the students be friend with each other to form a happy family, a family with mutual understanding, communication and care.
First things first, I should be responsible, have the team spirit. I should integrate diligence, justice and impartialness into my basic principles, and try hard to help my teachers to set up a class full of liveliness, love and care by using my efforts and communication abilities. Our teamwork will make everybody a qualified student of Shanghai Young Bakers, who will win the approval in the society!

I have the determination and the confidence to be better and better and better!

张政海 - ZHANG Zhenghai

2009.09.22 11:29:59

肖金金

All of us were led by our teacher to Hotel Sofitel Hyland in the morning. Upon our arrival, there was another teacher leading us into the hall in the hotel. There were guests arriving now and then. Next, the organizer of Shanghai Young Bakers gave a speech. I know clearly that without them I would never have had this opportunity, so I’m very thankful to them. After the organizer’s speech, the representatives from partner enterprises came to meet us. There, each of us met his respective mentor, and learned about some basic information about the enterprise where one was going to be an intern. Next, the president of Chi Heng Foundation, the director of the Children’s Home and the headmaster of Caoyang School gave a speech respectively. Their words made me realize that I should cherish this opportunity and work hard. Then, volunteers from Shanghai Young Bakers gave each of us a baker’s suit and also took some photos. After the cocktail party, we all came to Nanjing Road to have a group photo taken. It’s really an unforgettable day and an unforgettable experience, which I will remember forever.

肖金金 - XIAO Jinjin

2009.09.22 11:28:32

胡明

My supervisor is a lively, kind-looking and easy-going woman. Although a retired kindergarten teacher, she is still full of vigor every day.

She,(Mrs. Huang laoshi), does not only help us with our studies, but take good care of our lives. Once I had a high fever. At this news, Mrs. Huang came to see me immediately from home. She took me to the hospital and accompanied me when I was under examination. Seeing that I lost all my appetite because of the sickness, she bought me some fruits and even made me porridge, which touched me a lot. Her phone calls in the night filled me with warmth. When we were studying during the evening, she always stayed with us, giving us courage and helping us with our lessons.

Our supervisor treats us as if we were her own kids, her smile, like a beam of sunlight, warming our heart. Mrs. Huang, thank you very much for your hardworking and all the months you have spent with us!

胡明 - HU Ming

2009.09.22 11:27:09

张洪生

Supermarket is a place with endless lines of clients, and for a supermarket like Gubei Carrefour, whose turnover stands out among all the supermarkets in China, attends always to numerous clients.

I work in the bakery of Gubei Carrefour. Every day I go to work with motivation, and leave work with fatigue, but I feel my life knows a revival.

In the morning, on arrival at my workplace, I first do the clean-up. Next, I knead dough and bake breads. Sometimes when the delivery man arrives, I have to go down to take delivery. Then I spend the rest of my working hours with bread making. Before a day’s work finishes, another clean-up is a must. Only after that I can leave Carrefour.

But I don’t consider it as a burden at all. ‘All this is for a better life in the future.’ I always encourage myself this way.

I feel honored to have the chance of being a staff member in Carrefour.

张洪生 - ZHANG Hongsheng

2009.09.22 11:24:48

王莉

According to the traditional Chinese culinary art, bread is merely put into the category of dim sum or snacks. Before I took part in the program of SYB, what I knew about bread is just a concept of food which is baked from a dough ball. I didn’t have any other knowledge of it.

During my internship in SYB, I was so lucky to be assigned to PAUL, which is a traditional French bakery with a prominent features as well as a history of more than one hundred years. The current good reputation of PAUL is attributable to the traditional exquisite workmanship, advanced baking equipments and a goup of experienced master bakers.

At the very beginning of my internship, what I should do was to observe carefully what my mentor did and to have a basic knowledge of the entire production flow. Meanwhile, I consulted my mentor when I found any process that I could not figure out. And he is always patient to my questions, and sometimes he even provides certain repeated explanations.

Several days later, we embarked on making bread by ourselves while trying to feel different features of varied paste and learning some key skills involved in bread-making. Only when one has a good command of all these knowledge and skills that he or she can really make fantastic bread.

At PAUL, every day I am exposed to a large variety of fresh things that I should learn one by one. Here every mentor regards us as their own younger brother or sisters, making us feel at home. In particular, our mentor Mr. Guo and the general manager of PAUL have given us great help in our study and life.

I was impressed by the team spirit shown by every master baker at PAUL, since it is impossible for any individual to complete all the procedures during the mass-production. Once when I felt quite satisfied with the bread I had made, they gave me such a profound saying, “ A so-so quality is nothing .Only the best quality counts!”

I did find great fun and learned a lot over the past few months of internship at PAUL. I would like to extend my cordial gratitude to SYB for providing me such a hard-won opportunity to learn how to make bread. Every time when I saw other eating bread made by myself, I can’t help feeling so proud of myself since I could make bread!

I will make further efforts to become an excellent and qualified baker, making those who have tasted my bread rain praise on me.

王莉 – WANG Li

2009.09.22 11:23:11

祁亮

Hotel, a totally new concept to me. Since the day when I first stepped into Radisson Hotel, I started to have a fresh impression on it.

Background Of Hotel:

Shanghai Radisson Hotel is affiliated to Carlson Hotels Worldwide which is one of the largest and most diverse hotel management companies in the world. Carlson Hotels Worldwide possesses more than 190 thousands employees in over 14 countries around the world.

Hotel management is the core sector of Carlson Group. The hotels are scattered in more than 70 countries around the world and occupy the ninth place among more than 950 different brands on the ranking list.

I wish that Shanghai Radisson Hotel will become a hotel brand which can catch more and more worldwide attention in the future. I’m deeply convinced that Radisson Hotel will achieve more and create an excellent reputation through constant efforts and spirit of creativity. Additionally, Radisson Hotel has been becoming more and more popular because this hotel offers various job opportunities and has created an agreeable and high-level working environment and corporate culture.

祁亮 – QI Liang

2009.09.22 11:21:22

齐唐

First of all, I would like to thank the instructor and director of our welfare house for affording me this opportunity. Secondly, I also want to express my appreciation to the organizers of SYB as well as Ms. Huang and other involved people who have accompanied us for such a long time. Thank you all for your love, care and contribution to us.

When it comes to my life plan after the training in SYB, I actually want to go further study abroad to enhance my competitiveness. Since I adore the baking art, I would like to bake the tastiest bread and let others enjoy my work of art.

During the training this time, I have learnt many precious lessons, the theory of baking and some key skills. At the same time, I really enjoy myself. The baking training helps me set a clearer goal in the future and light my life up.

I hope that SYB will provide me an opportunity to go abroad for further study after the first-step training here. I long for this opportunity because I am quite fond of this skill and want to make more progress. I will strive to pursue perfection in the future.

Finally，please allow me to extend my heartfelt gratitude again to all those who have ever appeared in my life and help me. Thank you very much! You will always stay in my heart because it is you that have made my life wonderful. Besides, I want to give a special thank to her. You enlightened me and made me find my pursuit. Thank you!

齐唐 – QI Tang

2009.09.22 11:14:53

吴亚光

My name is Wu Yaguang from Zhumadian, Henan province. I’m 22 years old.

I have never been Shanghai before. I just heard about what a fantastic city Shanghai is, but I’ve never seen it with my own eyes. When I joined SYB program, my dream to Shanghai came true. Now I have been here for three months and Shanghai is a big city full of opportunities. We are exposed to many chances and more choices. I like Shanghai very much. I feel many chances spring up here and they may help me develop my career path and the experience in Shanghai will certainly help me a lot in future. I like Shanghai and feel it just like home. Now let me tell you more about my study and life in Shanghai. I have ever heard about baking, but totally have no idea of it. Therefore, I want to thank SYB for providing me this precious opportunity to learn this practical skill. Besides, heartfelt thanks to Carrefour for providing me with an internship to practice what I learned.

At the beginning I thought that it is very easy to bake bread. Actually is not. It is true that: Seeing is always easier than doing. I have been working in Carrefour for some time, and learned a lot. I feel very happy from the bottom of my heart. And I learned that it is not easy to accomplish anything perfectly. Currently, I have learned most of the baking process, while my bread is still not good enough. However, I never feel frustrated and just decided to study harder than before until I have a good command of it. Then I can teach this practical skill to more kids in more tough situations than mine. To them, it is a very useful skill to make a living in future. There is an old saying that: it is always good that person learn one more skill. I strongly agree with it. What I plan to do is to learn this skill well as a repay my mother and those kind people who helped us. I will not let you all down. I really like Shanghai and enjoy my work here. And I really benefit a lot from these experiences. Again, please allow me to express my sincere gratitude to our French teachers and those warm-hearted people.

吴亚光 - WU Yaguang

2009.09.22 11:11:21

苏艺品

I have lived in Shanghai Children Welfare Institute for more than 20 years. I like the lifestyle there. When we were still little children, we were taught how to lead an independent life. For example, we developed such a habit - getting up at 6 am every day, washing and having breakfast, then, making bed. We had lessons from morning to afternoon. We had lunch at noon, and had dinner at 5:30pm. During 6 pm to 9pm, we could decide by ourselves whether to finish homework or to watch TV. We slept for 8 hours every day. Generally, we could lead a very casual life in the weekend and usually I could arrange my own time in a proper way. It is not bad, isn’t it? This is our daily life. Besides, I like the various activities there. Sometimes, the teachers brought us to many interesting places, sometimes, some warm-hearted people visited us, joined us and had fun together.

One thing that I would never forget is that when they learned that I have a dream to be a chef, they introduced SYB’s program to me, offering me a good start on my way to the dream. I am very happy in the bakery training. I really appreciate what they did for me. With the other classmates, I will try my best to complete the baking study, pass the related exams and become a qualified baker.

苏艺品 - SU Yi Pin

2009.06.17 08:24:11

Gaëtan Balidas

I was in charge of the organization of this big communication event, especially on the technical aspects : the photo and video exhibition setup.

I would like to thank everybody who gave their time and their energy for the organization of this event. Especially, I thank Steve Wang and his staff from the River South Art Center (member of Talentpool) for his giant help and his reactivity, he did a perfect and very professional work. Without them, the exhibition would have never been as professional as it was. For the pictures, we have to thank m97 Gallery for the pictures production.

I also would like to thank all of the Bean volunteers, who provided us a precious help for welcoming and serving our guests. It’s also the chance to say a last praise to Guillaume Durand, the SYB’s photographer who came volunteerly and did a huge job with the photo selection and retouch.

Then, I would like to take this opportunity to extend a warm thank you to you all for your coming and your support, especially you partners, our guest of Honor Mr Pascal Tepper, and you colleagues, friends for your big contribution.

We are not yet ready to leave behind us the result of the hard work of our students and us and I am pleased to announce you that all of the pictures of the exhibition are for sale. The money collected will be exclusively reinvested in our training program.

Do not hesitate to contact us directly, should you have any questions on the purchase of these pictures. You can view all of the pictures from the exhibition by clicking on this link: Support us! in our Website. Please note that we added some extra pictures to give you more choice.

Enjoy the second viewing!

However, we will maybe try to produce another exhibition in France, let me know if you are interested in this event.

Thanks to everyone again!

Kind regards

Gaetan Balidas – Communication

2009.06.17 08:21:21

Gaëtan Balidas

I just would like to thank everybody who is engaged in this project. Two months ago, I didn’t know SYB and now I’m proud to work with them and to help them develop this amazing project. Thanks to all the partners and all the association members for your trust, your help and your kindness.

Unfortunately I won’t be able to be there for the 10th of May exhibition, I’m also a volunteer and my budget cannot endure this new spending.

However I’ll try to produce another exhibition in France, let me know if you are interested in this event.

Thanks to all.

Guillaume DURAND – SYB Photo-Reportage Photographer

2009.06.17 08:19:13

Gaëtan Balidas

During the last two weeks, a team of volunteers, the principal team member Guillaume: a professional photographer, Caroline and Antoine: professional cameraman, Cathie and Cindy: Chinese interviewer and myself for the organization and lots of other persons were essential for this video and photo shooting.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend a warm thank you to you all throughout these past two weeks, especially the partners for your cordial welcome and collaboration.

We tried to have a complete view and shooting of the project. In this direction, we looked for the locations where the student work, live and spend time. We spent 2 total days with all students. We have gone to the Shanghai Orphanage and in the French “Mission economique” for the partners meeting. As for partners, we visited the Sofitel Hyland Hotel and the Radisson Hotel, Paul bakery and Carrefour Zhongshan Store.

I am not going to tell you more about the details, I just invite you to look forward to our photo exhibition on the 10th of May, where you are all welcome and expected.

Thee whole SYB team and I hope you can all be with us on May 10th to celebrate this extraordinary project achievement with us.

In order to disturb you as little as possible, we have done this photo and the video shooting during the same time, but these two productions don’t have the same goal.

The second production plan is the video montage of the different interviews (students, partners, commission member) for an online viewing. Furthermore, before the end of June, I hope we will be glad to introduce you our first SYB promotional video documentary.

Even if we did not have any budget for this, with the goodwill of our volunteers team, we have done all of our production in a professional manner, so that you could use this communication support for your internal and external communications in accordance to the gentleman agreement.

Do not hesitate to contact me for any question and for pictures or tapes.

Gaëtan BALIDAS - Communication

2009.06.17 08:16:51

Hélène Sini

As many of you may know, we organized a special photo exhibition on May 10, half way through the 6-month-period of our training program. 3 members of the team had shadowed some of our students on a normal week to make a photo documentary, on which the exhibition was based, to share with the public how they cope with their new life and feel about their working experience as trainee bakers.

We thought May was the perfect timing to invite you all to be the witnesses of their hard work, through a series of photos illustrating their daily routine. And we were proven right.

We had over 200 hundreds visitors on a sunny Sunday afternoon, which was a bit of a challenge considering that it was the first of the season and people could have chosen to chill out rather than traveling all the way through Shanghai to Suzhou Creek to attend our event.

Among our partners, students, team and random visitors, journalists were there too and a few interviews were organized and future ones booked. A local TV channel is even interested in covering the SYB story!

At SYB, we were all excited about this great event, and extremely proud to have a very special guest with us on that day: Mr. Pascal Tepper, M.O.F 2000 (France best worker of the year). We are now moving forward and working hard so that SYB becomes well known and recognized as a proper training program throughout China and later on in France.

We are currently working on a potential transfer over to a bigger organization in order to ensure the sustainability of the training program and our photo exhibition highly contributed in increasing our visibility and credibility. Some organizations have already raised an interest and we will soon share the outcome with you.

Thank you to all the attendees for being there on May 10 and to all of our partners to your constant support.

Hélène Sini – Communication

2009.06.17 08:14:45

Julien Potron

Perfect Sunday morning in Shanghai, the sun was shining when the SYB production team composed of myself, Gaetan, Guillaume, and Thomas arrived at Paul Bakery Baking Center 1933.

Like every Sunday morning, and even more when the weather is nice in Shanghai, a simple feeling of happiness was in the air. This was emphasized by the excitement of having the great opportunity to conduct a live interview with M. Holder, in Shanghai only for a few days, and with our SYB students doing their training at Paul Bakery China too!

When we opened the door of the baking center, a sweat smell of bread and fresh pastry got into our nose, and we were already with a big smile on our face when we saw our 4 SYB students in practice.

When Mr Holder arrived with Mr and Mrs Levillair (President and Vice President of Paul Bakery China), we started to interview him and our 4 students, Nora, Pierre, Jerôme et Benoit (aka Wang Li, Zhang Zhen Hai, Su Yi Pin and Zhang Jiao Sheng) right away.

Our students were very pleased to spend such special time with Mr Holder, who shared his knowledge and gave them advice based on his own personal experience.

He explained that he took over and expanded the family bakery with his mother at the age of 16, after his father, who was himself an orphan, passed away.

Mr Holder mentioned he wishes our students to have the opportunity in the future to continue working at Paul.
The word « Work » came back several times in the discussion, and a potential opportunity for the best of them to go to France to continue their training was raised too.

We were just finishing the interview and some freshly made baguettes were already coming out of the oven. It was time to call it a day and have a tasting.

Before we said goodbye, we all gave our bests wishes for the booming present and bright future of Shanghai Young Bakers Training Program !

Julien Potron – Communication & IT

2009.06.17 08:11:51

Céline Le Cotonnec

It’s been nearly four months that the Shanghai Young Bakers project has started. The first class is more than half the way. The 16 students have already done great progress and are all proud and excited to be part of the program. Everyone has worked hard for April exams and has been impressed by the demonstration made by M. Pascal Tepper, French Master Baker (MOF), in Shanghai in May for the Bakery China Fair. The Master Baker, supporting the project since the beginning, agreed to spend a day of his trip to teach the students and share with them his passion for French Traditional Bakery. The demonstration of M. Tepper on May 9th followed the meeting of April with M. Holder, Chairman of Paul Bakery in France, to support the 4 students currently interns at Paul China.

On Sunday afternoon, May 10th, a photo exhibition, sponsored by supporting companies of the Shanghai Young Bakers project, presented the story of this first class of Young Bakers, from their arrival in Shanghai, work at partners, Saturdays' class at Christine’s and Sundays' activities. This one-time exhibition, lasting only an afternoon, was done by a French volunteer photographer M. Guillaume Durand, who came in Shanghai two weeks in April to especially shoot the life of the students. It was held at the Suzhou River Art center. A tasting of the Saturday production with the Master Baker was organised for the partners to assess the progress of the students. This event gathered the supporters of the Shanghai Young Bakers project, professionals, companies, associations, officials as well as the students; who spent their time and energy to ensure the success of the training. Thanks to the support of the American volunteers from BEAN as well as Roots&Shoots association, we have tried to make this event “carbon Neutral”.

More than training in Bakery, the Shanghai Young Bakers project is first of all a spirit. The spirit shared by both the volunteers and partners who believe that together, it is possible to realize great things and improve the life in the city we’re living.

Céline Le Cotonnec – Project Coordinator
Marine Legrand - Logistics

2009.06.17 08:05:55

Jeremy Marchais

Shanghai Young Bakers (SYB) is not only a simple charity in Shanghai. We are also 13 members giving our free time and our energy in this project. Without all the work we made, without all the people who trusted us and helped us on the way, we would have never reached the success we get now. This work also relies on the partnerships we have with some other non-profit organizations and their members, along with all the new volunteers who joined us.

Since last march, our association has communicated a lot in Shanghai and we now realize how it worked well. After the first article published in Shanghai Daily concerning SYB launch event, and then the Next Step meeting day, we received a strong support from some new people interested about the project. Some of them just wanted to know more about us while others really were willing to get entirely involved in SYB. In addition, some of the people we met already knew Shanghai very well, and were sometimes involved in other non-profit organizations. Thanks to their help, we will be able to communicate with other charities, to make our project more visible and work together on social issues.

On all the people we met, some of them are employees in different companies while many others are students in university. Today we count more than twenty people who are really interested in our project, and eight of them are really considered as volunteers thanks to the motivation and the work they provided.

As SYB members are all French, we really needed to be helped by Chinese people on many tasks. Luckily, all of them are well-educated native Chinese speaking people, most of them in their twenties, and are ready to spend some free time on the project.

Michael Cheng, graduate student in Jiaotong University, and Salma Wang, Law adviser, are both teachers every Saturday. During this time, they teach the students basic Mathematics, English and Chinese speaking and writing lessons. As our students will have to pass a final exam, it seemed that they needed lessons in order to improve their general background knowledge. Some of them still have some difficulties to write and speak Chinese correctly. We would like to help them as much as we can.

In a different way, the volunteers also helped us during the outdoor activities the students attended every Sunday (Yu garden, Shanghai Museum…). During those days, the students and the volunteers can enjoy time together and escape from their exhausting works in bakery. Moreover they helped translating or double-checking lots of contents from English to Chinese.

Finally we are grateful to the volunteers as much as SYB members for all the work and the enthusiasm they provide and we thank them for all the help they are giving. On the other hand, we are still looking for more people ready to discover and enjoy the Shanghai Young Bakers adventure.

Everybody's welcomed!

Jeremy Marchais - Training

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2009.04.06 08:10:26

Julien Potron

A Sunday in Shanghai…

As some of you already noticed, and for those who don’t know yet, the Shanghai Young Bakers team really likes their students!

Many of us don’t have the opportunity to spend too much time with them since we already have busy days at work... But...We found a solution!

Indeed, since the beginning of our Shanghai Young Bakers program, we have enjoyed with them some pretty cool Sundays in one of the most interesting city in China: Shanghai!

The students’ first Sunday in Shanghai was spent at the Urban Planning Exhibition Centre in People’s Square, discovering the huge model of the city, and trying to point out our location on the map...

If the Pearl of Asia is Shanghai, Shanghai wouldn’t be the same without the Pearl Tower... So on the same day we took them to visit Pudong district, spent some time taking pictures in front of the famous tower, we also did take the opportunity to visit the wonderful Shanghai Ocean Aquarium, and shoot some artistic pictures of a large variety of fish... It really was a wonderful Sunday in Shanghai!

Last Sunday’s activity was a visit at Moganshan Road, the biggest art scene of the city, walking through exhibitions of both modern painting and photography; a great chance to discover the power of art and to view some funny pieces as well as having some interesting debates and discussions.

As you have all already felt... summer is coming in Shanghai, no need to say that there are cooler Sundays to come in Shanghai! So far so good with Shanghai Young Bakers!

Julien Potron – Communication

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