The founder of Fulham’s only micro-bakery went from quitting her teaching job to a Great Taste award in five years.
Liz Wilson, 59, took a bread-making course 2013 and instantly fell in love with it. She then started to supply bread to her local community in 2014.
She quit her teaching job to set up Ma Baker and last month was awarded a three star Great Taste Award for her new buckwheat crackers, one of 208 products selected from a record 12,772 entries.
Liz said: “After the course I had a small light bulb moment. I fell in love with the slow, magical and amazing result of baking.
“With four simple ingredients I can make something that tastes wonderful and makes people smile. The process is calming and satisfying and the smell is amazing.”
The mother of three juggled her teaching career alongside volunteering at bakeries whilst attending cooking school to fuel her passion.
Almost simultaneously, Liz found herself baking regularly and delivering the savoury snacks to friends and family on her bike. It was at this moment that things started to change.
She said: “Before you know it more people started ordering and then I thought, wait I am quite good at this!
“This wasn’t planned, it came quite naturally.”
The entrepreneur wasn’t worried that she had no expertise in running a business in the baking industry.
If there was something she was unaware of, she found ‘virtual colleagues’ for help.
Liz said: “There is an extraordinary amount of support out there, business and financial classes, and other micro-bakers that do what I do. They provide free information and are incredibly supportive”
This gave her the confidence to enter multiple awards including the prestigious Great Taste Award and recently nominated for the Great Taste Golden Fork Award.
Liz said: “The day that I found out I was nominated I was literally shaking. I’ve been winging this but I am absolutely committed, now look where it’s got me.”
Now five years after taking the courageous leap to quit her job, her business makes thousands and supplies artisan shops and food places all over Fulham.
She added: “I’ve been doing this for 5 years being happy at what I do and it clearly has made me look so young.
“I don’t think I would change anything about my journey.
“I fell into bread-making at the right time, the stars aligned and the timing was just so right.”
Liz declares that she has never worked harder and but also never been happier.
She said: “The kids always know where I am, and there’s great flexibility working for yourself.”
Liz now has a mailing list consisting of weekly orders and holds bakery lessons for aspiring and passionate bakers.
Liz said her advice is as follows: “I say follow what you love and have fun with it.”
For more information about Liz Wilson and Ma Baker visit the website or email [email protected]
